Accidental Marriage
by pcworth
Summary: Things don't quite go right when Emma makes a joke that ends in the two women saying I do. rating changed from T to M
1. Chapter 1

Note: This is my submission for the Swan Queen week day 7 prompt of accidental marriage. It can be one-shot, but I am leaving up the possibility of continuing it further. First I have to get some of my other fics finished though.

* * *

After things in Storybrooke settled down and Regina and Emma began to be on speaking terms following the Robin-Marian debacle, they began to explore custody options for Henry. Since he wasn't born in Storybrooke, it required them to travel beyond the borders into the "real world" to deal with a family court there.

Emma had argued that they could have handled it in Storybrooke but Regina was afraid, despite Emma's assurances, that given her history with the populace she wouldn't be afforded custody rights to Henry. Emma, of course was worried in the real world – despite Regina's assurances – that she wouldn't be afforded rights since she had given Henry up.

The result once they got started turned out to be drawn out affair. It required several trips, one overnight stay where they were forced to share a room due to some major conferences and events booking up every hotel. Emma assured Regina she could find them a place, but Regina asserted she wasn't going to stay anything less than a three-star establishment.

But finally the day came where they believed they would be able to handle the legal matter of shared custody once and for all. Henry was with them as well. He hadn't been needed for all of the meetings with the judge, but since this was supposed to be resolved they brought him.

…

"There they are," Snow said as she saw Emma, Henry and Regina pull up outside of Granny's where she and Charming were waiting on them to see how things went. It had taken some time to get used to the idea that Emma and Regina would be sharing custody, meaning Regina would be sort of like family to them. But shared custody is what Henry wanted and despite all the debate, arguments and discussion, Snow knew Emma and Regina would do what it took to give him what he wanted.

"Regina doesn't look happy," Charming said.

"Emma seems ok, and Henry is smiling, so how bad could it have been," Snow said as the trio entered.

Henry slid into the booth across from them a smile still on his face. Emma smiled at them, and also slid in next to Henry.

"There is plenty of room, babe," Emma said, causing Henry to block laughter in the form of a cough. Regina rolled her eyes and pulled up a chair next the table instead.

"You know I realize that it is entirely my fault that you two didn't get the opportunity to raise Emma, and for that I will continue to apologize for," Regina said looking at them. "But do you think you could begin teaching her some lessons now – such as how to take things like court hearings more seriously."

"Did something go wrong at the hearing?" Snow asked Emma.

Emma looked at Regina. "Oh no, they are your parents, dear, you tell them."

"Um, well you see it was sort of an accident …"

"My moms got married," Henry blurted out.

"What!" Snow and Charming said at the same time.

"Like I said, perhaps your daughter needs to be taught that court hearings are serious matters."

"What happened?" Charming asked.

"Well, the court hearing was taking so long," Emma said. "And the judge kept going over and over all these things that we had been over like a hundred times. He asked me if I felt comfortable with proceedings, and well I sort of made a comment that he took a little more seriously than I meant it."

"What did you say?" Snow asked.

"She said if she knew this was going to be such a long, drawn out affair, she simply would have skipped the whole thing and married me instead," Regina said. "Which the judge, who clearly doesn't believe in the concept of joking, said that he had been unaware that Emma and I were involved intimately. And then he began to ask some rather personal questions."

"He sort of said we would have go to back to the beginning, reschedule for another hearing because if Regina and I were in a relationship then for the benefit Henry that needed to be discussed prior to any agreement."

"To which your daughter then said if that is the case, 'let's just get married."

"I didn't think he would say let's marry you two right then and there," Emma said.

"Wait, so you two got married by an actual judge?" Charming said.

"Yeah. I got to be the best man," Henry said beaming at them.

"Sorry you didn't have an actual ring to hand to me," Emma said smiling at him.

"Why are you apologizing to him?" Regina said.

"What? How often will get the chance to be the best man at his parent's wedding?"

"I can admit when I am wrong, believe it or not," Regina said. "We should have just stayed here in Storybrooke and handled this. Now we have to get divorced and work out the custody agreement yet again."

"Why do we got to get divorced?" Emma asked.

"Firstly, it's 'why do we have to get divorced?' and secondly, are you joking, again because that is what got us here in the first place."

"I don't know, we did just stand in front of a judge and promise to love, honor and cherish each other til the end of our days," Emma said.

"Wait, wait," Snow said. "I'm confused about one thing."

"Just one?" Charming remarked.

"Why did you say yes?" Snow asked.

And she wasn't looking at her daughter. Suddenly, all the eyes were on her.

"Temporary insanity."


	2. Chapter 2

"Henry, we should get home," Regina said.

Emma stood to let Henry out and then she bid goodbye to her parents, who were still staring at the two women trying to figure all of this out. They walked out to Regina's car, Regina wondering why Emma wasn't staying, as her rooms were there above Granny's.

"I will talk to my attorney and see about the easiest way to get this handled," Regina said to her.

Emma waited until Henry got into the car. "We're married. You make it sound like you are trying to get rid of mold that is growing in your basement," Emma said.

"Getting rid of mold would be easier," Regina said.

"You're cute when you are being all sassy," Emma smiled.

Regina grabbed her arm and moved her a little farther away from the car. "What do you think you are doing with all of this? This isn't some game."

"No, it's not. And while I really didn't expect to end up married to you today, at least now you have to deal with me, deal with us."

"I told you before there is no us."

"There could be though. Doesn't that interest you in the least bit?"

Regina turned away and then back. "What interests me is Henry knowing that both of his moms love him and that we can get along for five minutes for his sake and figure out an amicable way to share custody."

"We can get along for more than five minutes," Emma said. "In fact we got along for several hours if I remember right. Maybe the issue is we get along better without our clothes."

"We are not going to talk about that."

"That's the problem. You don't want to talk about it and I do."

"Yes, and you choose a family court hearing to bring up the subject."

"It's not like Henry was there. We were in the judge's chamber."

"Still, did you need to tell the judge that we slept together?"

"He asked. I wasn't going to lie."

"It's no one's business that we slept together. It happened once."

"Technically, we didn't sleep much and the sex certainly happened more than once. I mean I thought I had good stamina, but you, wow, can you blame me for wanting to explore this thing between us?"

"Get it through your head, there is nothing between us. It was just sex. You and I are not marri…"

Emma cut her off my kissing her right then and there on the sidewalk, where people inside of Granny's could definitely see them, along with anyone else in the area at the time. Regina pulled back though. "Are you crazy?" she asked looking around and seeing Charming and Snow quickly look away as she sat in the diner.

"No. Well, maybe a little, but you tend to make me feel a little crazy, in a good way."

"I suggest you keep control of any other urges you may have. Good day Miss Swan," she said walking back to the car.

"It's actually Mrs. Swan, or Mrs. Mils, or maybe Mrs. Swan-Mills. We should really figure that out."

Regina gave her a death glare and got into the car.

"Isn't mom coming with us?" Henry asked.

"No, she isn't," Regina said putting the car in gear and pulling away.

Emma walked back into Granny's, smiling and slid into the booth across from her parents.

"She apparently needs a little more time to get used to the idea of being married," Emma said.

"Emma, is there something more to this that you want to tell your mom and me?" Charming asked.

She smiled, "I'm in love with her."


	3. Chapter 3

Regina couldn't believe Emma had done that – kissed her in public. She was beginning to think the younger woman was crazy. What kind of message did she think that sent to their son? This whole thing had gotten out of hand too quickly. She needed to take a step back from it and start figuring away out of it.

"Did you really not want to marry mom?" Henry asked as they drove home.

"It's complicated."

"But you two kissed at the ceremony, and again back there."

Regina sighed. This is exactly what she was afraid of, Henry getting confused about the situation. "I should have said no to this marriage idea while we were in the judge's chamber, before we went back into the courtroom."

"So you didn't want to marry her?"

Regina didn't answer, driving the rest of the way in silence. Once home, she directed Henry over to the couch and sat beside him.

"You know your mom and I both love you very much, right?"

"I know."

"This, all these court hearings have been about both her and I wanting to ensure we have a place in your life no matter what."

"Why couldn't you just agree to that without the court?"

"Things just don't work like that in the adult world."

"Maybe they should."

Regina smiled, "it would be nice if they did work that way, but they don't. My point thought is that no matter what happens Emma and I are always going to love you."

"But you don't love each other?"

"Marriage, marriage isn't easy. It's not enough for two people to love each other; there is more to it than that."

"Why?"

"I know this is hard for you to understand right now, but … you know about Daniel. How I loved him, and I would have married him, but that didn't happen. Then I was married and there was no love there. I tried and I failed at it completely and in horrible ways. I never wanted to be married to the king, but I was forced into it by mother. I swore to myself if I was ever to get married again, it wouldn't be like that. It would be by my choice."

"You feel like you were forced to marry Emma?"

"I don't feel married at all. It's not enough for your mom to make some joke in front of the judge and for us to get married like that is all it takes. I guess I take marriage a little more seriously and the fact she doesn't bothers me."

"I think I understand," Henry said.

"Do you?"

"Yeah, I think so. When you get married you want it to be for real, all the romance and stuff like on TV where they get down one knee and give you a ring and say nice things and stuff."

Regina laughed, "sort of. "

"Can I go play video games now?"

"Yes. I will let you know when dinner is ready."

He went upstairs and Regina went into the kitchen to fix their meal. It had been a long day. She thought about Emma kissing her again. The sheriff certainly knew how to make good use of her mouth when she wasn't talking.

_They had pulled into the hotel, after much back and forth over where to stay. Regina was insulted that Emma would think she would stay in some motel. They went in, both more than a little irritable. _

_"Please tell me you have two rooms," Regina said._

_The clerk typed into the computer. "We have one but it has two beds."_

_"We'll take it," Emma said. Regina looked at her. "It's either this or the motel."_

_"We'll take it," Regina said._

_They got up to the room and Emma immediately plopped down on a bed. _

_"You should at least take off your shoes if you are going to lay down."_

_"Ok, mom," Emma said in fake, cheery voice, before sitting up and taking off her shoes and tossing them against the closet which earned her a look of disapproval. "I can't believe we have to go back to court in the morning. This whole thing is taking way too long. I bet if we had stayed in Storybrooke we would have been done in a day."_

_"Yes, and you would have full custody of Henry," Regina said. _

_"I still think you are wrong about that. Besides I wouldn't have let that happen."_

_"Forgive me if I don't exactly have a lot of trust saved up," Regina said. "Let's just go to bed, get to court in the morning and go home."_

_"Fine by me."_

_"Since you have made yourself at home on a bed already, I am going to take a shower."_

_Emma who was lying back down at this point just mumbled in agreement. Regina went into the bathroom with her toiletries and turned the hot water on. It wasn't her shower, or her bath at home, but it would have to suffice for now. She stripped down and got in, letting the water run all over._

_Her muscles felt stiff from the uncomfortable seats in court. They were supposed to have a 1 p.m. but it got pushed back until 4 p.m. and then they didn't finish up and were told to come back first thing in the morning. Spending the night in a hotel with Emma wasn't exactly what she had planned, but she had to admit that Emma's company while working on an custody agreement had been tolerable. _

_Once you got past her bad driving, and bad jokes, Emma was actually growing on her. She was surprised that Emma was being so agreeable about a shared custody arrangement. She knew the other woman was scared that outside of Storybrooke, her past would play against her in any agreement. That was part of what made today tough – the judge went through Emma's criminal record and her rather large history of moving. Regina had no idea that Emma had that much trouble staying in one place._

_Regina had told the judge that none of that mattered to her and shouldn't play a part in his approval of any agreement. She had looked at Emma after saying it and she could tell it meant a lot to the blonde, who gave her a grateful smile._

_Emma's smile –that was something Regina was also getting used to seeing and she enjoyed it. Her whole smile was so expressive that it practically forced you to smile back. It occurred to her that she had been thinking more and more about Emma lately. It wasn't a constant thing, but it was more than just occasionally. In the time they had spent together she was learning more and more about her from her tastes in food to what music she liked. She really liked that Emma treated her unlike anyone else outside of Henry. She treated her as if she was just Regina, not the Evil Queen. _

_Emma would never know how much that meant to her._

_Spending time with Emma also gave her the opportunity to engage in one of her other pastimes, which was appreciating her body. From the moment she met Emma, she had found her to be attractive and usually she subtly found ways to look at that body. The idea Emma would be in the next bed over from her all night made her pulse increase and she thought about taking care of herself while in the shower but dismissed the idea. It would be her luck that Emma would walk in._

_Regina finished up her shower, dried off and realized she didn't bring clothes in with her. She grabbed a robe, put it on and exited the room – stopping immediately. She had walked in as Emma was changing clothes in the middle of the room. She was wearing only a pair of green panties and was in the process of putting on a tank top. _

_Emma smirked at her, "see something you like?"_

Stop thinking of it, Regina told herself. No good would come from thinking about that night. She needed to get dinner ready, although she didn't really feel like cooking. The doorbell rang and she went to go answer it, looking out the peephole first and sighing.

She opened the door. "I brought pizza," Emma said smiling.


	4. Chapter 4

Regina insisted that if they were going to eat pizza, they were at least going to use plates. She would not have her son's table manners deteriorating. Emma thought it was a waste of time since they would then have to clean said dishes, but one look from Regina kept her from making much more than a token comment about it.

"So does this mean we are done with going to the court for a while?" Henry asked.

"Yes," his moms answered at the same time, although with different inflections to their voices.

"I think we can get everything straightened out from here," Regina said, not looking at Emma.

Emma for her part, knew better than to add 'I told you so' to that. She really hadn't expected the judge to marry them after she had made that remark. She hadn't expected Regina to go along with it. But now that it was done, she also didn't see any reason why they shouldn't at least make an attempt at it.

She wasn't lying to her parents. She loved Regina. It was an easy thing for her to admit This woman had captivated her in a way no one else had managed to do. From the moment she met her, she knew Regina was a force to be reckoned with and she certainly proved that to be true.

She thought about that night.

_She was lying on the bed listening to the sound of the shower and wondering what it would be like to see Regina in the shower – naked, the water covering her skin – and what it would be like to be in the shower with her. _

_They had been spending a lot of time together, and while she personally thought this whole custody arrangement was a waste of time when they could have dealt with it on their own, she also wasn't going to complain about spending time with Regina. There was a time last week when she was over at Regina's house and managed to wrangle an invite to dinner. After ward she had helped Regina with the dishes and they just talked. _

_It had felt so natural to Emma. She was struck suddenly with how easily she could see them repeating this scene night after night._

_She wasn't sure how Regina viewed it though, and that thought alone had kept her from verbalizing what she was feeling._

_She finally decided it was time to dress for bed and got up. Since Regina was in the shower, she decided there was good enough and she stripped down. Once she was in only her panties she opened up her bag and grabbed a tank top. She was just pulling it over her head when the bathroom door opened. Regina was there, her hair up in a towel, her body covered by a robe. Emma saw Regina's eyes rake over her. _

_"See something you like?"_

_Her speaking seemed to snap Regina out of it. "Don't be ridiculous," Regina said moving toward her bed and her bag. Emma could see Regina was flustered as she went searching through her bag for some bed clothes. _

_Emma knew she was taking a risk, but she also knew she would never have another shot at this so she came up behind Regina who was startled when she turned around to find Emma there so close. "Miss Swan, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get changed and …"_

_Emma reached out and untied the robe letting it fall open. This time it was her turn to let her eyes rake over Regina's body. _

_"You're gorgeous," Emma said before looking Regina in the eyes. She saw a mixture of emotions – almost at war within those eyes. Before the side of reason won out, Emma pulled Regina in and kissed her. Regina was only a step behind her in the kissing department – but catching up very quickly. _

"Mom,"

Emma snapped out of her musing and realized Regina or Henry must have been trying to talk to her.

"What?" she said.

"I asked if you wanted another piece," Henry said.

"Um yeah. Just got lost in thought there for a few moments," Emma said and she gave Regina a little smile. She raised one of her eyebrows for emphasis too and Regina merely concentrated on her pizza.

After dinner, Emma went upstairs with Henry, who had nodded toward the ceiling several times before Emma got the hint.

"What is it?" she asked keeping her voice down even though it was stupid to think Regina could hear them.

"I talked to mom about the marriage."

"And?"

"And, she said she doesn't feel married. She said some stuff about being forced into a marriage before and it not working and that marriage means something to her and she doesn't think it means something to you."

"Of course it means something to me. I love your mom. I just need to figure out a way to make her believe that."

"Then maybe you should try some of that romance stuff. She said liked that."

"I can do that."

"And maybe you can show her that are serious so maybe not joke so much."

"I can try doing that."

"I don't think she thinks is funny."

"Ok, got it, no more joking. Any other advice Dr. Phil?"

"I'm just a kid, what do I know?"

"Thanks."

She went back downstairs where Regina was finishing the dishes. Emma leaned against the kitchen island watching her. Regina put the last dish down to dry and turned and saw Emma wasn't just leaning against the counter she had clearly had her eyes on Regina's lower region.

"Miss Swan."

"Emma, can we at least start with you calling me Emma?"

"Emma, what are you still doing here?"

"I was hoping we could talk."

Regina turned off the light over the sink and walked out, turning off the other light. Emma took that as Regina didn't want to talk in the kitchen so she followed her out to the main room. Regina poured herself a drink from the decanter and then poured another handing it to Emma.

"I sure made a mess of things didn't I?" Emma said.

"Yes you did."

"I don't suppose saying sorry will be enough."

"It's not entirely your fault. I shouldn't have agreed to it at the time."

"Why did you agree to it? I mean besides temporary insanity."

Regina smiled. "I don't know, temporary insanity seems like a good enough reason."

"It is I suppose," Emma said. "But maybe if there is another reason, it could be a starting point for us to talk."

Regina took a seat. "That um night, what made you decide to do what you did?"

There was no doubt as to what night she was speaking about.

"You are amazingly sexy, you are aware of that aren't you?"

She noticed Regina blushed, but didn't say anything in response.

"Well, you came out of the bathroom and you were looking at me, and up until then I wasn't really sure if you um, if you were maybe interested in me. That look though, that was enough for me to realize that you at the very least were attracted to me."

"But you were attracted to me before that?"  
"I've been attracted to you since we met. Like I said you are amazingly sexy. Look, this isn't how I would envision getting married either. I wouldn't have chosen to do it like that, but we did do it that way, and I just think that maybe we shouldn't um just jump to a divorce. We've been getting along really well."

"Getting along well and getting married aren't the same thing."

"I know that. All I am saying is we could give this a chance."

"Let's say we give this a chance and let's say it works for a few weeks, maybe even a few months, and then all of a sudden it stops working. How do we explain that to Henry?"

"I think as long as we are honest with him, it doesn't matter."

"I think it does matter," Regina said. "I think pretending to be a family is not healthy for Henry, or for us."

"Who said anything about pretending?"


	5. Chapter 5

Marriage day 9

Emma loaded the dishwasher after dinner, as Regina, who was leaning against the counter sipping a glass of wine observed her. Emma tried not to let Regina's intense study of her loading technique bother her. She had always thought Regina had a little OCD in her, and after being married to her for a little bit she was now pretty sure in her observation.

The first night they had dinner, Regina had corrected her that the dishes needed rinsed before being put in the dishwasher. Now Emma was also sure the top-of-the-line machine would have cleaned week old barbeque stains, but she didn't point that out to her rather reluctant wife.

"You know I don't mind doing the dishes," Emma said. "I don't even mind rinsing the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, but is it necessary for you to watch me while doing it."

"I suppose not. You seem to have gotten a handle on it now."

"Thank you," Emma said mock bowing. "Although you could have just said you like checking out my ass when I bend down to load the lower rack."

She smiled and Regina merely sipped her wine.

"I thought you said you would take this seriously," Regina finally said.

"I do take it seriously. I am hoping you might start taking it seriously any day now."

"I assure you, I do."

"No, you don't. We've been married for more than a week. I moved in here to show you that I am committed, but also to show that if things get rough, I can't just go stay at my place. I am sharing the chores; we are rotating taking Henry to school and picking him up. We have sat and watched one movie together as a family. I am doing everything you are asking of me, yet after what nine days, I feel more like your roommate than your wife. I am staying in the guest room. And if you don't count me grabbing you and kissing you when you agreed to give this a try, we haven't done anything remotely intimate."

"Is that your big complaint, that we haven't been intimate?"

"Oh no, I am not falling for that trap."

"What trap would that be?"

"The one which leads you to thinking I just want sex or you trying to convince me and yourself that what we have is nothing more than sex, when it's more than that. I don't really think I am asking for much if I want to kiss my own wife."

Regina finished her wine and handed the glass to Emma who dutifully rinsed it out, put it in with the other dishes and then closed up the machine and started it. She moved closer to Regina after doing so.

"Is the idea of kissing me that bad?" Emma asked, moving in even closer. She ran a finger down Regina's forearm. "I kind of thought you liked kissing me."

Regina didn't say anything, but Emma leaned in, making her intentions clear. Their lips met and they slowly kissed. Regina broke it off first. "Don't forget to wipe the dishes for any spots when the washer is done," Regina said leaving.

Damnable woman, Emma thought. She knew what Regina was doing. Regina was trying to show that this couldn't work. She was trying way too hard at it too. When Regina had agreed to "try" Emma thought this would be easier. Part of the issue was Emma didn't know exactly what Regina's problem was. Emma was being considerate to her, giving her space, but trying to be romantic. She even brought her flowers on their first day of living together.

But it wasn't getting her anywhere.

She wondered if other couples' marriages were this complicated.

Marriage day 27

The alarm woke Emma and she rolled over and turned it off. She had forgotten to shut it off the night before when she got in at 3 a.m. after having to respond to a robbery call. She rolled back up in her blankets and closed her eyes.

She didn't know how much time passed but the sound of knocking woke her. "Go away," she mumbled just loud enough not to be considered yelling.

The door opened anyway. "Miss Swan," Regina said.

Emma groaned. She hated when Regina called her that before they were married; now it was downright annoying.

"What?" she said sitting up and pushing aside the blanket, knowing from Regina's tone that this wouldn't be a simple conversation.

"Um, do you need me to take Henry to school?"

"Yeah, that would be great," Emma said.

"Ok," Regina said and she quickly left.

What the hell, Emma thought and then she realized what she was wearing – rather what she wasn't wearing. She had gotten home so late that her clothes were mostly still scattered on the floor. All she was wearing was a tank top and after flinging her blankets aside Regina must have gotten a full view of her.

Emma smiled. At least she knew Regina was still interested in her that way, which meant she may finally have something she could use against her wife.

Marriage day 30

Regina got stalled at work. It seemed like the day was one meaningless crisis after another. She had called Emma to let her know she was going to be late getting home. It felt weird having to do that, but since she sort made Emma do the same thing she knew she also had to abide by it.

She had to admit that she was surprised Emma was lasting this long. She figured after a week that Emma would get this notion of them being married out her head and leave. Yet every morning there was Emma coming out of the guest room.

It wasn't that she didn't like Emma. She did quite a lot. She just didn't trust her. She didn't trust that she wouldn't give up so Regina was giving her all the opportunity to do so before either of them got too invested in this marriage.

She knew she could be more accommodating to Emma, but she held herself back. She knew if Emma just left her, she would be the one who ended up hurt, not Emma. So she felt she had to retain her resolve.

Tonight was Emma's turn to cook – well Emma had volunteered when Regina told her she would be late – so she expected that she would come home to pizza in a box.

She drove home and thought it was odd that there weren't more lights on. Henry had a horrible habit – one Emma shared – of not turning lights off. There wasn't even a light in his room. She opened the door and put her keys and purse down.

The house was quiet.

"Henry?" she called out.

No answer. She tried again.

"Miss Swan," she finally said.

"In the dining room," Emma yelled out.

She supposed a couple pieces of pizza were better than starving so she made her way to the dining room. She opened the door and stopped. The table was laid out for dinner for two. The room smelled good – definitely Italian, Regina thought. The only light in the room was candlelight.

And then there was Emma – in a red dress.

"Happy month anniversary," Emma said.

Marriage day 31

Regina woke and immediately saw the note and rose that had been left on her bed the night before. She smiled as she read the note again.

I wish I was in this bed with you tonight. But I respect that you need time. Just know that I am willing to wait. – Love, Emma

To say she had been surprised by the dinner was an understatement. Emma admitted she had help – particularly with the food, which Snow assisted with – but the rest of it was all her. Henry spent the night at his grandparents to give them time alone.

It was actually a pleasant evening but in the back of her mind, Regina was waiting for Emma to make some sexual advance on her, but that didn't happen. She kissed her goodnight before they went to their separate rooms and once inside, Regina had found the note and the rose.

She had been married before – something she didn't like to think about – and respect of her boundaries was never something her husband would have considered when it came to his needs or wants.

She sometimes wondered since it was her mother who had always wanted to be royalty, how Cora would have handled being the wife of a king.

She shook off the thought, not wanting to go down that dark path.

Regina picked up the rose and laid in bed for a while just looking at it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Marriage day 33**

Emma wasn't entirely sure why Regina was still distant with her. She thought after their one-month anniversary dinner that there might be a little more interest but she wasn't getting anything. Maybe she had interpreted this wrong. Maybe Regina didn't have feelings for her like she thought.

She knew that wasn't true though. She knew Regina had feelings for her. She was being extra resistant and stubborn and Emma couldn't figure out why.

She was being as nice as she could possibly be. She was being considerate. She was being accommodating.

She wasn't the one with the problem – Regina clearly was.

Emma sat back in her chair at work knowing she should be concentrating on work, not on her marriage. But she couldn't concentrate as she tried to think of any and all reasons why Regina was being this way.

…

Regina stood looking out the window which was behind her desk at the office. There was some paperwork on her desk which lay forgotten while her mind churned inside her head.

The problem was she didn't know what to do about one Emma Swan.

The other woman infuriated her from the moment she came to town and now she found her infuriating in quite another way. Emma wanted their marriage to work and she was doing everything she could to show Regina that it could.

But Regina didn't want it to work.

The thought wasn't entirely true. The idea of being a family was more appealing than anything else Regina could think of.

She didn't know how to be a part of a family though. And with her history … there was only one way it could end and that was in disaster. She didn't want to allow herself to feel the comfort of being a family knowing one day – no matter how distant in maybe into the future – that it would come crashing down around her. Everything always did in her life.

She needed to end it – Now.

**Marriage day 34**

Emma entered the kitchen sneezing. "Come on kid," she said.

"Wait," Regina said, and she approached Emma who backed up a step at first when Regina placed a hand on her forehead and then her cheeks. "Back to bed."

"What?"

"You have a fever. Get back into bed. I will take Henry to school."

"It's fine. It's like a cold or something."

"Colds don't involve fevers, but the flu does," Regina said. "You need to take it easy."

Emma didn't feel good, but she also didn't believe in calling in sick. "I will be ok. A little coffee to help wake up and I will be good to go."

Regina looked at Henry, "go ahead and get in my car, I will be there in a moment." Henry saw his two moms staring each other down and decided it was best for him not to be there. As soon as he was gone, "If you think as mayor, I am going to let the sheriff go into work with the flu and get others sick, you are sorely mistaken. Now go back to bed. I will stop on the way back and get you some medicine."

"Take Henry to school if you want, I am going to work," she said turning and starting to walk away. She got to the door and turned to her. "And Madame Mayor, don't worry the sheriff will maintain her distance from others including her wife."

…

Emma felt like complete shit by noon, but she wasn't about to go home and go to bed. As sick as she was, she was still upset with Regina. Why couldn't she just say she was concerned about her wife being sick, not about the sheriff being sick?

Her head was so stuffy that she was getting a sinus headache.

She closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples.

"Are you done being stubborn?"

She looked up to see Regina standing in the doorway.

"I am not," Emma said, scooting closer to the desk and picking up a piece of paper that was meaningless but it gave her something to concentrate on besides Regina or her head.

"Miss … Emma," Regina said. "You are sick. You need to be in bed and … and I would feel better if you would put aside your anger at me at least until you are well enough to put up a proper fight."

Emma let Regina stand there another moment before standing up. She walked over to Regina and then stopped. "When I feel better, you and I are going to have a very serious talk."

**Marriage day 35**

Emma woke the next day still feeling like a truck had run over her. She rolled over and grabbed her phone to check the time – 10:34 a.m. She had slept off and on since coming home the day before. Regina had gotten her medicine and made sure she took it like clockwork and made her some chicken noodle soup that she suspected was homemade.

She got out of bed to go to the bathroom. When she came out Regina was in her room with a bottle of water and medicine which Emma took.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

Emma shook her head no. She probably should feel hungry but all she felt like doing was curling back up under the blanket. She got back into bed and folded the blankets around her. She heard Regina leave and she closed her eyes to go back to sleep.

…

Regina was on the phone with her secretary when Emma came downstairs a few hours later. She got off the phone quickly, telling her she would call her back later.

Emma was leaning against the doorframe. "Now I'm hungry."

"Ok," Regina said. "Back upstairs. I will bring you something to eat and it's about time for more medicine."

Regina got up and Emma instead of going upstairs lay down on the couch. Regina thought about telling her to get up and go to her bed, but didn't. Emma looked like she might fall asleep again before she got food ready for her.

Emma sat up when Regina brought in a tray with a bowl of vegetable soup and some orange juice to drink. Emma saw Regina's laptop was out on the coffee table. "Doing some work?"

"Yes."

"You could have gone into work."

"I could have, but I can get what I needed to get done from here. Forgive me if I wanted to make sure you stay in bed and get well."

"Of course the mayor would want the sheriff to be well."

Regina didn't say anything at first. "I do want the sheriff to get better, but I also want you to get better."

"Forgive me if you haven't exactly given me any indication that you give a damn."

Regina sighed, "I do care."

**Marriage day 38**

Emma came home from work late as she caught up on work. She warmed up the food that Regina had made for dinner – a nice roast – and sat in the kitchen eating it. She felt so much better than she had. She wasn't sure she had ever been sick like that before. Regina had stayed with her the entire time.

As much as she wished that meant they were turning the corner in their marriage, she knew that wasn't the case. They needed to talk.

She finished up her food and washed the dishes. She spent the rest of the evening playing some video games with Henry up in his room. She hadn't really seen Regina most of the evening and when she finished up with Henry she went downstairs and found all the lights were out. Regina must have gone to bed.

She double-checked the locks on the doors and went upstairs. There was a light coming from under Regina's door so she knew she was there. She stood there for a while before finally knocking and entering.

Regina was sitting on the bed reading. As Emma entered she put the book down. Emma didn't say anything as she came over and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Do you want me to leave?" she asked.

Regina didn't say anything at first.

"I don't know how to be a wife," she said finally. "I was a wife before and I was really bad at it. I could blame it on my mom and her lack of being a good example at just about anything, but the truth is I've made my own share of mistakes and they have been pretty big ones which I am sure you can agree with. I mess up – a lot, and what happens when I mess this up?"

"Who says you would be the one who messes it up?" Emma said. "My history with relationships isn't the greatest with you know. I just don't understand why you won't try."

"Because … because I am afraid."

"Of what?"

"Of it not working and of it working."

"If you aren't going to try, there isn't much sense in me sticking around. Now don't take that as me wanting out of it. I don't want out of it. I want to us to make this work. I think we can make this work, but it's not going to if you keep this up."

"I know."

"So what is it that you want?"

Silence.

"I want to try."


	7. Chapter 7

**Marriage day 47**

"You know you don't have to make me lunch to take to work," Emma said as Regina handed her, her lunch.

"You can't be eating at Granny's every day or worse getting some wretched fast food," Regina said. "You will eventually get fat."

"Are you saying being fat makes me less attractive?"

Regina looked her up and down as if she was considering how to answer that. She waited long enough that Emma looked at her and said, "Not cool."

"It doesn't make you less attractive," Regina conceded.

"Thank you," Emma said leaning in and kissing her on the cheek. "You got Henry after school?"

"I do," she said.

"Ok, well I will see you for dinner then," she said before leaving to go to work.

…

When it was lunch time Emma got her food from the fridge and warmed it up. She had to smile as she waited for the microwave to finish. Regina had been making her lunch every day ever since she had agreed she would try at being a married couple.

Not a whole a lot had changed since then, but there had been smaller changes such as lunch.

Regina had also been nicer, not quite on guard as she had been. If she was trying to trick Emma into giving up, she was being more subtle about it because Emma wasn't seeing any of it.

But the kiss on the cheek was about as far as she was getting as far as intimacy went.

She had meant what she had said; she was willing to go slow and wait until Regina was ready. She found it challenging though to show Regina that she cared about her when she couldn't be at least a little physical with her.

She knew she just needed to be patient. Or so she told herself every morning and every night.

**Marriage day 54**

Regina tried to pay attention to the movie, but she found she kept looking at Emma from her peripheral vision. Emma had asked her out on this date, which included dinner and the cliché movie. They had talked about safe topics during the meal – work, Henry, nothing about their marriage. Most of their conversations lately were "safe."

They hadn't really talked about the marriage since that night.

She thought Emma was giving her time and space to figure it out in her own head.

She hadn't lied to Emma, she did want to try, and she was. She knew she wasn't doing enough though to make a marriage work.

Maybe small steps were all she was capable of right now.

But even small steps were important she told herself as she reached over and put her hand on top of Emma's for the duration of the movie.

**Marriage day 55**

Emma was working out at the gym, running on the treadmill. She wasn't too worried about staying in shape, although she probably had eaten too much fast food for lunches before Regina started making her meals. She was listening to music on her ipod and thinking about the night before.

They had gone out on a date – her idea of course – and she had tried not to notice Regina continuously looking at her but she had. It worried her.

She was about 87 percent sure that most of what Regina's problem was her thinking too much. She was so busy thinking she couldn't just let go and relax. When Regina was over thinking things it led to her thinking critically that things were naturally going to go wrong.

Emma was therefore pleasantly surprised when Regina placed her hand on top of hers during the movie.

It was a small step but it still made Emma smile, and gave Emma the courage to hold Regina's hand as they exited the theater. That night – before going to their separate bedrooms – they even kissed good night, which made Emma smile even more.

**Marriage day 60**

Stop thinking about it, Regina told herself. Just don't think about it.

But she couldn't stop.

She'd spent most of her morning, which included a meeting with a citizen's committee that proposing something that she didn't even know what it was, thinking about it. She was distracted and she didn't like distractions.

Distractions kept her from getting things done. And whether the people of Storybrooke liked her or hated they at least knew their mayor got stuff done.

It had all started three days earlier. The upstairs shower – the one Emma and Henry used – had lost water pressure in it. A plumber came out and said there was a leak originating from behind the shower wall that was accounting for the loss in pressure. It would need to be torn out repairs and new wall put in.

It wasn't anything Regina was overly worried about, she instructed the plumber to go ahead and do what needed to be done. After all there were two other full bathrooms in the house – one downstairs and one upstairs off of Regina's room.

For the first two days things went fine – Henry and Emma used the downstairs bathroom. Then she had gotten home late last night due to a negotiation meeting for city service employees. She had went straight upstairs, noted that Henry was in his room doing his homework, and as she walked into her room she saw the door to the bathroom was slightly open and the light was on.

She walked over and heard someone in it –guessing it was Emma but what she wasn't expecting was Emma to walk out a second later colliding with her. Emma grabbed her instinctively even though there was no danger of Regina falling. But that wasn't even on Regina's mind. What was on her mind was the fact that Emma was wearing nothing but a bathrobe and her body was now pressed up against the black satin of it. Regina hadn't meant to but somehow she found she was looking at Emma's barely covered breasts.

A moment later she was out of Emma's arms and apologizing for running into her even though technically Emma had run into her.

At this point though she found she could barely keep eye contact with Emma, her eyes wanting to drift farther south.  
Thankfully, Emma also seemed a little flustered about it and apologized before leaving the room.

Since then all Regina had been able to think about was her body pressed against Emma's with only a thin piece of cloth keeping her from touching the other woman's skin.

Even that morning when Emma had given her a kiss – a routine that had moved from her cheek to her lips — the kiss had lingered slightly more than it usually did. And they stared into each other's eyes for a few more seconds than was necessary.

It's not as if she didn't know she was attracted to Emma. But the last time they had sex, it was just sex. This was different. Now they were married.

"Stop thinking about it," she said out loud this time.

**Marriage day 61**

It's not getting any better, Regina thought. The night before, this morning, now this evening, she couldn't stop thinking about touching Emma.

She was horny and even trying to relieve that tension on her own wasn't working. Not that she had been successful; she just still found her hormones were completely charged up.

Emma had come home from work, but had stopped at the gym first – something she had been doing a lot lately. She came home still covered in a sheen of sweat and Regina could hardly take her eyes off of her. Even with her hair pulled back and the look of someone who had worked a full day and then threw herself into a workout, to Regina she still looked entirely too sexy.

This time Emma asked if she could use Regina's shower and Regina merely nodded.

That should have been the end of it, but now Regina was standing in her bedroom actually staring at the bathroom door, listening to the shower running. She got as far as the door her hand hovering over the doorknob thinking of how easy it would be to go in. But she didn't. She did back away to resist the temptation.

…

If Emma was a guy, and she had guy friends they would sympathize with her for having "blue balls." She had been working out like crazy lately hoping to burn off some of that excess energy that was plaguing her body.

Maybe if her wife's body wasn't so damn fuckable …

So she there she was working out after work so when she came home at night she wouldn't cross a line that Regina simply wasn't ready to cross.

Even here in the shower, she kept it on cold.


	8. Chapter 8

**Marriage day 68**

"You've been going to the gym practically every night after work," Regina said, bringing up a topic she had been thinking about – usually in the sense of seeing Emma walk in each night needing a shower. "What is with the sudden desire to work out?"

"I like to stay fit. I am the sheriff," she said, not daring to tell Regina the real reason. She had now gone yet another week with just the barest of opportunities to kiss or touch her wife. She was pretty sure it was going to drive her insane. And what really drove her crazy was the fact Regina didn't even seem to notice it.

"I hardly think you need to work out so much. You look great."

"Thanks," Emma smiled.

It was after dinner and after Henry had gone to bed. They had spent the evening as a family, having dinner and watching a movie together. Now they were both sitting on the couch. The TV was on but neither was really paying attention to it.

"Um there is something I um wanted to talk to you about," Regina said after they had fallen silent.

"Ok," Emma said turning toward her. Each was on opposite ends of the couch. Regina felt suddenly self-conscious with Emma looking at her and she was trying to figure out how to say what she wanted to say. She had been rehearsing it in her mind for a couple of days now and it still sounded stupid in her head.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked after Regina was quiet for more time than what Emma thought was necessary if she really wanted to talk about something.

"Yes. It's just um I am not sure how to say what I wanted to say and now that I am on the spot at it were I am finding it even more difficult to say it."

"Why don't you just say it quickly?" Emma asked. Regina being nervous was making her nervous. She wondered if this was the time she was going to hear the word divorce. While things had gotten better between them, it still didn't feel like a marriage to Emma.

"I was thinking maybe um, maybe you could stop sleeping in the guest room."

"Dare I ask where you think I should be sleeping?"

"Well, it's just we are married and if we're going to you know be married then you sleeping in the guest room doesn't really make much sense. Unless you want to sleep there then I understand."

"No!" Emma said a little too urgently. "I mean it does make sense for me to not sleep there and sleep in your room."

"Our room," Regina said. "We're married so it should be our room."

"Our room," Emma smiled. "I'd like that."

They stayed downstairs for a while, both seemingly nervous about the prospect of sharing a bed. Regina was the first to get up and Emma was right behind her. "I'll um lock up down here," Emma said. "And then change and come to bed."

"Ok," Regina said disappearing upstairs.

Holy shit, Emma thought. She was going to get to sleep in the same bed with Regina. Regina had actually brought up the idea and now it was going to happen. They were going to sleep side by side. She wondered what kind of sleeper Regina was – did she share blankets or hog them for herself? Did she like multiple pillows or just one? Did she wear socks to bed?

She locked up the house and tried not to run up the stairs. She went to the guest room and changed clothes and brushed her teeth. Normally she would sleep in a T-shirt and panties, but she put on a pair of shorts just so she didn't freak Regina out. She figured Regina's night time routine was a little more in-depth than hers so she forced herself to slow it down. She didn't want to get in the bed first and end up getting in the wrong side or something.

She waited as long as she could stand and knocked lightly before entering the room. Regina was already in bed on the left side as far as Emma's view in facing the bed. She went around to the right and got into bed. There was a moment of extreme awkwardness and then Emma turned to her and said, "good night."

"Good night," Regina said and they shared a kiss which was not so different than their other good night kisses except this time they were in bed doing it. Regina turned off the light and both women laid there with their own thoughts.

Emma wasn't sure how much time had passed but she was fairly sure neither of them had moved and neither was asleep.

"Are you awake?" she asked finally.

"Yes."

"So am I. Was this too soon?"

Regina turned on her side to face Emma who did the same. "We've been married for more than two months; I don't think this was too soon."

"But you are uncomfortable with me being in here?"

"I admit that I am a little uncomfortable yes, but you also seem uncomfortable. We are both awake."

"Let me as you this, do you normally sleep flat on your back like you were just a moment ago?"

"No. Normally I sleep on my side – usually facing outward, but sometimes inward. What about you?"

"On my side, on my back or on my stomach. I usually move around until I find a comfy spot."

"Oh."

"Can we try something? If it is uncomfortable just let me know."

"Ok."

"Alright, turn on your side facing outward like you would sleep normally."

Regina did so. Once she was settled she felt Emma moving until Emma was right up against her also lying on her side facing outward. Emma wrapped an arm around Regina's midsection.

They lay like that a few moments, each getting used to it.

"Is this ok?" Emma asked finally.

"Yes," Regina said.

Emma could feel the tenseness in Regina's body still and almost pulled away, but decided she needed to give it a little more time. She slowly felt Regina begin to relax. Emma continued to lie there awake until she was sure Regina was asleep and then she allowed herself to fall asleep.

**Marriage day 69**

Regina woke first still on her side, still with Emma's arm around her. She realized she had slept through the whole night. She sometimes had restless sleep but not last night. After her initial nervousness she allowed herself to relax and she had slept apparently quite comfortably.

So too had Emma she was guessing. The other woman must have found her comfy spot Regina reasoned.

She normally got up immediately upon waking, but she didn't want to disturb Emma who was clearly still sleeping deeply based on how she was breathing. Regina closed her eyes even though she doubted she would fall back asleep.

Less than 15 minutes later she was again asleep in Emma's arms.


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks to everyone who has left such nice reviews on this story

* * *

Marriage day 73

Emma was feeling good. She had slept great each night since moving into the master bedroom. She remembered waking that next morning to find she still had Regina in her arm and Regina was still asleep. It didn't last long as Regina woke, but she took advantage of their closeness to give her a kiss good morning and Regina didn't object.

She hadn't felt as tense or in need of a strenuous workout and found her favorite part of the day was getting into bed at night. She still hadn't had sex with Regina, but she found being able to be close to her in bed was taking some of that edge off. Not that she would be satisfied with mere cuddling. She wanted Regina so badly she had started fantasizing during slow hours of the day of the various places and ways she would like to have sex with her.

She definitely wouldn't be getting any love tonight either. Tonight was a family dinner at her parent's house. Since their marriage, Emma and Henry had been over for dinner, but Regina had not. She had made excuses for why she couldn't go the last two times, but this time Emma made it clear she needed to come and be a part of the family.

It wasn't that Regina didn't get along with her parents. They got along better now than they ever had before. But for some reason the idea of a sit-down dinner at her parent's house seemed to make Regina nervous. At least she had somewhat of an idea why beyond the obvious.

_"I don't understand why you are making a big deal about it. It is just dinner," Emma said._

_"No it's not."_

_"Last I checked it was. And you act like you haven't ever had a sit-down meal with my parents."_

_"That was at Granny's. This is different. We will be at their house."_

_"I don't see the difference."_

_"Of course you don't. You are their daughter. You probably do no wrong in their eyes. I clearly do and have done wrong."_

_"All of that is in the past. We all agreed to leave it there."_

_"Yes we did. And we have done a fairly good job of keeping it there, but tell me what exactly am I to discuss at a family dinner with your parents? What would be a safe topic of conversation?"_

_"You are worried about dinner conversation?"_

_"It's not dinner conversation. It's everything. It's how I present myself to them. Everything will be watched and cataloged for future reference. If I don't show myself to the be perfect wife then your parents are going to start pointing out those faults they see to you over and over again until …"_

_"Until what?"_

_"Until you feel enough pressure that you start looking for my faults."_

_Emma was about to make a humorous remark, but she could tell this was a legitimate concern for Regina. She was actually worried about this occurring._

_Emma approached her and put a hand on Regina's crossed arms. "I didn't ask my parents permission to marry you. I didn't consult them. I didn't even tell them that I had feelings for you until after we were married. And I do have feelings for you. I hope you know that, that you see that. My point is, my parents are my parents but they don't command my life and they sure as hell don't get to make my wife feel inferior."_

_She caught the barest beginnings of a smile on Regina's face until she turned serious again. "I guess I should probably go. I don't want them to think I am rude by turning down their invitation."_

_"Yes heaven forbid they think that," Emma said._

_Regina did give her a smile that time and Emma said, "don't worry about it ok. I got your back and any other part of your anatomy you want me to protect or just hold on to for a bit."_

_She winked at Regina after that last part._

Yes Emma was sure she was wearing down Regina's defenses as slow as it was. She kept reminding herself that they hadn't actually dated so all that date stuff where a person learns about the other person was happening now during the marriage. She had asked Henry how she thought things were going once he realized his moms were now sleeping in the same bedroom. His response to that was, "about time."

But in his mind at least things were going well. He loved having both of his moms under one roof. He felt like he got to spend equal time with them which is what he had wanted all along. He and Emma had a more relaxed, friendly relationship but he was also seeing Regina become more relaxed as well.

The bottom line was that he wanted his family together, he said, but only if they were all happy.

Emma wasn't sure if he meant that Regina was unhappy and she didn't get the chance to question him more. She didn't think Regina was unhappy. She might not be overly happy, but she wasn't sensing that standoffishness that she was getting at the beginning. Plus Emma knew that Regina at least enjoyed being in bed with her. Regina had said she had slept well each night.

Emma changed clothes after work and they all headed to her parents. She could sense nervousness from Regina so she put a hand on hers as she drove until Regina said as sheriff she should know to keep both hands on the wheel. Yep, Emma thought, definitely not getting sex tonight.

They walked up to the house, Emma just opening the door, which earned her a look from Regina for not knocking. She hoped Regina would stop being so tense because if she didn't she was sure her mother would notice.

Emma actually sort of shared Regina's fear. She didn't want to be put in the position where her parents would say anything negative about Regina. Being in the middle of that hot mess was the last place she wanted to be. Her parents had so far respected her decision to remain married to Regina in order to see where it could lead. Whether they believed it would lead anywhere they hadn't said.

Dinner started off quiet, but to Emma's surprise Regina started talking to Snow first by commenting on the dinner, which was a pork roast with potatoes and carrots. They talked about seasoning and different cooking techniques, which led them to talking about some cook who used to be at Snow's father's castle. Emma was sure they were headed to dangerous territory at that point.

"I wish I knew how cook made that bread," Snow said. "I've tried and failed. I am missing something or skipping a step. I've seen her make it but I was only a kid so…"

"Did you add the honey?"

"Yes. Please tell me you have seen her make it."

"Plenty of times."

They spent the next 30 minutes trying to break down the recipe. In the end they thought they had a reasonable approximation on how it was made, but then came a debate of whether part of the issue in making it was letting the dough rise in front of a wood-burning stove and using said stove instead of modern appliances.

Emma was admittedly bored by the conversation, as was Henry and Charming, but as long as they were getting along she didn't care what they talked about.

Marriage day 76

Emma came home late after taking a report from a woman across town who swore she saw an ogre. Mrs. Collins was a regular call in and it was always an outlandish tale that she insisted you write down. After the first couple of times, Emma had asked around about her and found her husband had passed away back in the Enchanted Forest before the curse and she got lonely sometimes. When the loneliness got really bad she called the sheriff's office. She just wanted someone to talk to and as long as she didn't take up obscene amounts of time Emma didn't mind a cup of coffee and a story.

Emma entered the house and went straight upstairs. It was after 11 p.m. and Henry was in bed or at least was smart enough to keep his light off while playing video games. Emma was ready to call it a night. She came into the bedroom where Regina was sitting up in bed reading.

"How was Mrs. Collins?" she asked putting the book down.

"She's good."

"What was it this time?"

"Ogre. Apparently it trying to sneak through the neighborhood but she saw it so called the sheriff's office. Unfortunately it was gone by the time I got there, but did you know back in the Enchanted Forest that during the ogre war there were actually ogres who were conscientious objectors and refused to fight."

"I actually did know that, although I don't think anyone used the phrase conscientious objectors."

"Really? So she was telling the truth?"

"She may be lonely, but she isn't necessarily a liar, at least not about home. She used to come into my office before the curse broke and she'd always have some story about the mafia or what not being in town, but once I assured her things were safe she would start talking about these stories her mom would tell her as a child. They were actually real stories from home. It was like some of her real memories had bled through to this world. She stopped coming to my office once the curse broke and she realized who I was."

Emma was in the process of changing clothes in front of Regina – after two days of sleeping in the same bed and knowing Regina had seen her naked she stopped being modest – when she stopped and looked at her. "Do you miss it?"

"Miss what? Life before you broke my curse?"

"No. You called the Enchanted Forest home. The other day you were talking with my mom about some medieval recipe. Do you miss it?'

Regina shrugged, a gesture that seemed out of place to Emma on the rare occasions she had seen Regina do it. "There are some things I guess you could say I miss."

"Like what?" Emma said finishing putting her clothes on. "Wait, hold that thought."

She ducked into the bathroom to brush her teeth and brush her hair. She came back and got into bed. "Now you can continue."

"I miss the stars."

"Are they different there?"

"No, I don't think so. They are clearer though. They seemed brighter there as if there is nothing really blocking them from shining."

"Yeah, we probably have a lot more pollution in the air."

"To say the least. Other things I miss, just the general beauty of the land. We didn't have the big skyscrapers or mass of buildings. The castles were the largest structures and they were spread out. There was so much forest and fields and I remember when I was younger riding a horse out through a meadow and thinking how the land seemed to stretch out for an eternity. I wanted to ride out and explore it all."

Emma saw the far away look in Regina's eyes and pictured what a young Regina must have looked like. But too soon she saw the sadness creep into those eyes.

"I bet you don't miss chamber pots or not having a washer and dryer," Emma said trying to lighten the mood quickly. She had noticed during their marriage that Regina would sometimes get sad. She would never say anything or express emotions about it, but the mood would always change immediately and it was in those moments that Emma worried the most about her.

"Yes, having toilets and appliances are certainly bonuses to this world. And the literature is better," she said indicating the book in her lap.

"TV programming is probably a lot better too."

"Much better," Regina smiled, and Emma knew she had defused the situation. Emma yawned though as her day caught up with her.

"I can turn out the lights if you are tired," Regina said.

"No, you can keep reading. I can sleep with the light on."

"Are you sure?"

"Yep," she said and she leaned over and kissed Regina goodnight. She settled down under the blankets and turned away from Regina and light and went to sleep on her side.

…

Regina read a couple more chapters of her book. When she was ready to sleep she turned off the lights, but found much like the first night with Emma in bed she was awake. She felt tension beginning to set in and she wondered why. She had been sleeping great, surprisingly so, since Emma and her began to share the bed.

It was another 20 minutes of staring at the ceiling in the dark when she realized this was the first time Emma hadn't been in physical contact with her while asleep. Each night Emma would hold her whether it be in the spoon position, or Emma on her back with Regina on her side facing her with Emma's arm still around her. Regina had come to enjoy on that contact and now that Emma was turned away from her and clearly asleep, Regina was going to have to go without.

More time passed and Regina thought she was going to have to get up out of bed and maybe go downstairs for a bit because she couldn't see herself getting any sleep anytime soon. She felt silly about the idea of waking Emma up. What would she say, 'sorry, but I need you to hold me.' The idea of it even sounded stupid in her mind.

Maybe she just needed to be closer to Emma, so she scooted closer to that side of the bed. More waiting to fall asleep but it continued to elude her.

She moved even closer to the point she was right behind Emma. She tried to look up and over to see Emma's face but couldn't make it out entirely in the dark.

She wanted to sleep, needed to sleep, so she made the decision in her mind. Even after making it, she had an internal debate before sliding her arm carefully around the blonde. She could now feel Emma breathing as she let her arm relax finally. It wasn't quite as comforting as having Emma's arm around her, but as she drifted slowly to sleep her last thought was how she had so quickly become addicted to Emma's comforting touch as she slept.

Marriage day 77

Regina woke to find Emma staring at her. The other woman was lying on her side watching her.

"Is something wrong?" Regina asked, her mind still a little sleepy but slowly processing.

"You are beautiful."

Regina smiled. "Thank you."

"No thank you."

"For what?"

"For taking this step, letting me lay here beside you."

She smiled even bigger this time. "I was thinking before I fell asleep last night that this, me and you here in bed, it's become in a short amount of time something I look forward to."

"Me too," Emma said, this time the smile brightening her face. "Can I make a confession?"

"Yes."

"I really enjoy being able to hold on to you while we sleep. It feels …"

"Natural."

"Yeah. Natural."

Regina leaned forward and kissed her. Normally Emma was the one to instigate physical contact, but as she kissed Emma it began to move quickly from the simple kisses they had shared up until now. They both started to draw the kisses out, holding their lips together until the last possible touch only to reattach them. The kisses remained soft, as neither of them pressed for an advantage or tried to make it go faster.

Despite the pent up sexual drive both women had been experiencing, it was if both sensed now wasn't the time for it.

They continued, hands lightly keeping contact with each other but there was no exploration of bodies, just long kisses.

The alarm going off startled them both and Regina quickly turned over and shut it off before turning back around. But as they looked at each other they knew the moment was over the day would now intrude upon the connection they had shared.

"I should get up," Regina said ensuring the moment was indeed over.

"Yeah, I need to as well," Emma said.

They went through their normal morning routine of getting up and dressed, and shared breakfast with Henry. Emma was the first to have to leave the house, and had already given Regina a chaste kiss goodbye. She was getting ready to pull out of the driveway when Regina came out flagging her down. Emma's police radio was in her hand.

Regina came around the side of the car and handed it to her.

"Thanks," Emma said.

"You're welcome. I can't have the sheriff running around town without it."

"Yeah," Emma said. She was about to put the car back into gear but Regina was still standing there. She saw Regina looking around her as if expecting there to be someone there. She was about to ask her what was wrong when Regina bent down and ducked her head through the window, grabbing the back of Emma's head and pulling her forward for a kiss.

It was all tongue and nothing like their previous kisses. And just when Emma's mind was catching up to it, Regina stopped and stood back up.

"Well um have a good day," Regina said.

"I will."

…

Emma hurried home after work. Instead of what had become the routine of her thinking about Regina sexually, she spent most of the day thinking about kissing her – just kissing her.

She actually ended up arriving home as Regina was also pulling in. She waited for her to get out of her car and escorted her to the door. She held it open for her, smiling the whole time. Regina's smile was not as big, but Emma had gotten good at being able to tell when Regina was trying hard not to smile.

Henry was home—they felt he was old enough now to be home for a limited amount of time after school until one of them got there. Regina went off to the kitchen to get dinner started and Emma checked on Henry and what homework he might have. Once that was taken care of, she went to the kitchen and saw Regina was standing in front of the stove. Emma moved forward and she wrapped her arms around her from behind.

Regina tried to ignore it and continue what she was doing but Emma pulled her hair out of the way and kissed her neck.

"I'm trying to cook your dinner," Regina said.

"I know. I will behave," Emma said backing off. She took up position next to the stove and leaned up against the counter so she could watch Regina. She let her eyes drift down to the hem of Regina's skirt and thought about what was under it. So much for the innocent thoughts from before, she thought as she kept her eyes on that body.

"You're distracting me," Regina said.

"How am I doing that?"

"I think you know how."

"Nope, don't have a clue."

"Maybe you could stop doing what you don't have a clue you are doing and let me finish dinner. Then after dinner you can again do what you don't have a clue you are doing."

"That almost makes sense. Is that weird speak for we can flirt later?"

"Yes, now out of my kitchen."

"I'm going but there will be flirting later, and definitely some kisses, maybe even touches."

"Out," Regina said.

…

Emma came out of the bathroom to the bedroom where Regina was again sitting up in bed reading. She went around to her side of the bed and got in, lying down facing her.

"You know we haven't actually gotten to that flirty part yet," Emma said reaching over and running a finger along Regina's forearm.

"That's because you spent your entire time after dinner on the phone with Ruby."

"It's still after dinner,"

"Maybe I am not in the mood for flirting now."

"Are you being serious?" Emma said sitting up.

"Deadly serious,"

"You do know I can tell when you are lying, right?"

"Are you accusing me of lying?"

"Yes," Emma said. "I think you want me to flirt with you. I think you want it real bad."

"You would be mistaken," Regina said raising up her book to continue reading. It lasted for about two seconds before Emma plucked it from her hands and tossed it on the floor.

"Miss Swan!"

"That isn't my name," Emma said as she moved quickly to kiss her wife. Regina kissed her back, as Emma knew she would. She could tell Regina was playing with her about the whole not in the mood thing. She had caught Regina looking at her a couple of times during dinner and each time it was a look like Regina wished Emma was the main course.

After establishing that they were both into the kissing, Emma backed off. She stared into Regina's eyes. "If you insist on using more formal titles, perhaps you should start with Mrs. Swan-Mills."

"Is that so?"

"It is," Emma said kissing her again and then stopping.

"What about Sheriff Mills, can I call you that?" Regina asked in between kisses. "It has a nice ring to it."

Emma stopped, "no, definitely don't call me that."

Regina kissed her this time and reached back and turned off the light.

"Does that mean it's time to go to sleep?" Emma asked.

"No. I do believe I agreed to after dinner flirting, kisses and some maybe touching," Regina said. "We've done the first two, wouldn't you agree?"

"I like your logic Mayor Swan," Emma said.

"Never call me that," Regina said. "Especially if you want to actually get to the touching."

Emma laughed as she pulled Regina down onto the bed more and kissed her.


	10. Chapter 10

Note: I changed the rating, just in case you didn't notice

* * *

Marriage day 78

Regina wondered if this was how other people felt when they were happy. Yes, she had been happy before in her life – mostly due to having Henry in it, but this was a different kind of happiness.

Emma Swan was actually making her happy.

The night before they had kissed and yes touched more than they had previously. They still hadn't had sex and Regina knew that because of her, not Emma. It's not as if she didn't want to have sex with the blonde. She did, but something was holding her back from taking that step.

It was why she had called Archie that morning and asked if she could meet with him. That was where she was now – sitting in his office. She had spent the first 30 minutes talking to him about her marriage before actually getting to the point of why she was there.

"What do you think it is that is holding you back?" he asked. "You said yourself you find her attractive and you have had sex with her before."

"That was before we were married," she said quickly.

"Then it's the combination of and sex and marriage that is bothering you?"

"Yes, no, I don't know. I don't know how to do this."

"Do what exactly?"

"Make the conscious choice to have sex with my wife," she said as if it was obvious.

Archie could sense her growing frustration so he paused deliberately before speaking again. "When you were married before, to the king, did you not make the conscious choice to have sex with him as his wife?"

"The king wanted a mother for Snow, any extra curricular activities were always started by him, and he was king so I did my duty as his wife whether I wanted to or not. I am not saying he forced me or anything because I never said no. I couldn't say no. Again he was king."

"He might not have forced you, but the fact you felt you couldn't say no doesn't mean it felt any less forced to you. Do you feel like if you were having sex with Emma it would be forced?"

"No," she said quickly. "She has been beyond understanding in that department. She said she would wait until I was ready and she has done that. Last night for instance, there was no reason for us not to have sex."

"Clearly there was a reason or you would have done so."

She looked down at the floor, her hands clasped together. "Sex adds permanence to this marriage," she said finally.

There it is, Archie thought. The real reason Regina was there.

"Do you not want the marriage to be permanent?"

She paused still looking at the floor. "She makes me happy," she said pulling her head up. "She makes me happy and I … I don't know if I make her happy or can sustain making her happy."

"Were you ever happy in your marriage to the king?"

"I tried to be," she said. "But no."

"But you are happy now with Emma?"

"Yes."

"Go home Regina. Go home and talk with your wife. That is the only way you move your relationship forward. Forget about the sex for the moment and go talk to Emma about what this marriage means to you. I promise you that you will feel better having done it and she will feel happier knowing how you feel."

…

Emma was pleased when Regina asked her if she wanted to go out for dinner for the evening, just the two of them. She readily agreed. She was really beginning to feel like she was in a marriage. Even though they hadn't had sex yet, it felt right to her so when Regina called her up to ask her out it made her smile knowing they were progressing.

She had thought last night was going to be the night when Regina had turned out the light and started to kiss her, but it didn't move beyond some serious kissing and some touches. But flirting was nice, so she wasn't upset over it or anything. They would get to where they needed to be.

…

In the end they decided to go out of town for their dinner. It was nice option and it felt good to get away, even if was just over to the next town. They ate at a Chinese restaurant – a choice that Emma admitted surprised her.

"When you lived as long as I have, you like variety," Regina had said.

"I will have to remember that."

They sat down and Regina ordered the General Tso's chicken while Emma went with shrimp lo mien. Their food came and they settled into eating, chatting about mundane things at first.

Regina stopped eating and looked at Emma.

"What?" Emma said after a moment.

"I want you to know that this marriage, I um I didn't know that this is what marriage was like. When I was married before it wasn't like this. I was um I didn't feel anything for my husband. I didn't want to marry him but I wasn't given a choice. Then all of a sudden I am married to you and I guess I keep expecting that it is going to be like it was before – my marriage I mean. And that is not to say I think you are going to be like him, because that is not what I mean. I am saying this really badly sorry,"

"Why don't calm down first," Emma said. "You just said those sentences in like 5 seconds."

Regina took a moment to breathe. "What I am trying to say is that our marriage may have happened in an unconventional way, and at the beginning yes I tried to get you to give up, to go away, but now … you've made me happy."

Emma gave her a big smile.

"I didn't know it could be like that, a marriage which is happy," Regina continued. "And I wanted you to know that. But I also need you to know that this happiness scares me because the few times I've been happy it seems like something always comes along and screws it up – usually me. I wonder if I can make you happy, happy in a way that's sustainable, that lasts. That doubt has kept me from taking that step with you – you know which step that is – and I am sorry …"

"You don't have to apologize for that. I told you I would wait. I meant it. No pressure here on this side of the table. If what we did last night was too fast for you I'm sorry."

"It was not too fast," Regina said quickly and her reaction made both of them smile. "I am attracted to you, deeply attracted to you, as you probably know when we um you know had sex the first time."

"Yes I sort of got the feeling that you were hot for my body,"

"And your modesty is also very attractive."

Emma reached across the table and took Regina's hand in hers. "We're married. As crazy at it may seem, you and I are married, and I want this marriage and I hope you do too, and as long you do, we will be fine. I don't want you worry about whether you make me happy or not, because you do. No one has ever made me feel alive like you do. You, me, Henry, we get to be a family and I love that."

Regina squeezed her hand back. "We can do this."

"Yes we can."

…

They returned home after picking Henry up from Emma's parents. It was late so they all went directly to their bedrooms. Regina slipped out of the dress she was wearing and looked over her shoulder and saw that Emma was watching her.

"Come here," Regina said. Emma walked over and Regina turned to face her. She wrapped her arms around Emma and kissed her gently. Emma responded in kind. They kissed slowly at first, but Regina picked up the pace a little more. She reached under Emma's shirt so she could feel her skin.

"I want you," she said between kisses. "All of you."

Emma pulled back from her suddenly. "Hey," she said. "We just had a nice dinner, and we talked, that doesn't mean we have to take this any further tonight."

"I want to. I'm ready. I just needed to say the things I did earlier. But now, I am ready,"

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes, but thanks for asking," Regina said kissing her again.

As much as Emma wanted this she reminded herself to let Regina set the pace. It started off slow, more kissing until Regina pulled Emma's shirt up and off. The bra was quickly discarded as well, but before she did anything else, Regina led her to the bed where they both laid down.

They started to kiss again and Regina began to run her hand around one of Emma's breasts. Emma could feel her nipple get hard. Some women were very sensitive there, and normally Emma wasn't one of them, but she was turned on by the mere thought of being there naked with Regina that each touch felt like it was sending signals straight to her pussy.

After several minutes of merely enjoying the sensations Emma stopped them so each of them could take off what little remained of their clothing. She pulled Regina back down – this time on top of her and wrapped her arms around her as they kissed. Soon they were back to lying down next to each other – facing one another. Emma spent time feeling Regina this time, running her hands around her breasts – squeezing, feeling, slightly tweaking the nipples. She knew from the first time they were together that Regina was the kind of woman who loved to have her breasts touched.

And Emma was more than happy to oblige.

Regina was kissing along her neck while she reached to touch Emma's pussy. She let one finger sink in between the folds and press down so she could feel that ever growing wet spot. Emma made an appreciative noise.

"Do you like that?" Regina asked.

"Yes," Emma breathed out. "I like whatever you want to do with me."

Regina laughed and brought their lips back together.

"Let's see how wet you are," Emma said between kisses as she mirrored Regina's position – but she didn't slide her fingers in to feel Regina's slit, she pushed two fingers directly inside her and she felt Regina shift at the intrusion. Another thing she learned from their first time together, Regina was tight down there. She felt Regina's wall crash against her fingers as she began moving them in and out.

Emma was finding it hard to concentrate on the task because Regina was circling her clit and rubbing it causing Emma to get even wetter.

Emma pulled her fingers out of Regina brought them up to her mouth, but Regina stopped her taking Emma's fingers into her own mouth. The sight of Regina licking her own essence off of her fingers was almost enough to set Emma's senses completely on fire.  
"That is the sexiest thing I have ever seen," Emma said once Regina finished.

"Sorry, you can have the next taste," Regina smiled.

Emma wasted no time dipping her fingers back in.

Each woman continued to work the other over. They were both working up a sweat and breathing harder. Emma knew she was going to cum soon as she upped the speed of her thrusts.  
"Emma," Regina said. "God. Emma. I'm so fucking close."

"I know," Emma said feeling her own impending orgasm gathering within her.

"Fuck," Regina wore again and then she cried out Emma's name as the orgasm overwhelmed her. She still had the wherewithal to continue to touch Emma who called out Regina's name as she was sent over the edge.

They lie there just breathing and feeling the mellowness that comes post-sex.

Emma recovered first, kissing Regina full on the lips.

"I love you my wife," Emma said.


	11. Chapter 11

Marriage day 79

Regina woke first as usual and slipped out of bed to shower. She turned on the water and got in. Many mornings when she was less than awake she would let the water wake her up. This morning was not one of those mornings.

She had woken still feeling Emma's naked body pressed up against hers and she immediately thought about how they had spent their time in bed in the night before. It was even better than the first time they had sex. Something about not being in a hotel room, but instead being in their bed added to the whole experience for Regina.

Then there was Emma's admission afterward. She had said "I love you my wife," and Regina had been so stunned at first that she didn't say anything. Then as she began to see a hint of concern on Emma's face, she kissed her, setting off another round of love making.

But Regina hadn't said the words.

She found she wasn't really anxious about not saying it either. Last night had been a big step for her and for both of them really. And even though she has stunned when Emma said it, she wasn't really all that surprised that Emma felt that way.

Since the beginning Emma had been their marriage's number one fan.

Regina smiled thinking of how supportive Emma had been pretty much the entire way. Maybe having sex finally as a married couple wasn't a sign of permanence as much as Emma just being there for her was.

She took her shower, wrapping a robe around her after towel drying her hair and walked back out to the bedroom. Emma was propped up on an elbow, a smile on her face as she took in Regina's nearly naked form.

"See something you like?" Regina asked, using the same line Emma had on her the first time they had sex.

"Very much so," Emma smiled. "Come here."

Regina moved back to the bed and Emma pulled her down on top of it, kissing her. They kept kissing for a few moments and then Regina stopped. She looked into Emma's eyes. "I love you," she said to her.

Emma smiled her biggest smile yet. "I love you too."

Marriage day 105

Emma had gotten home earlier than she normally did, but it had been a slow day at work and she decided she put in enough extra hours most weeks that it didn't matter if she took off once in a while. She entered and immediately heard music coming from the kitchen area.

She figured Regina was making dinner. Emma walked toward the sounds wanting to say hello to her wife, whom she hadn't really seen that day. Regina had some 7 a.m. meeting that morning and Emma was still asleep when she left.

As she got closer she paused. She listened closer wanting to make sure she was hearing what she thought she was hearing.

A smile slowly formed on her face and she opened the door just wide enough to slip through.

There was her wife fixing dinner and singing.

Emma stood there for a good 30 seconds before Regina turned to get something from another shelf and saw her.

"Emma!"

"Sorry," Emma said trying not to laugh. "I didn't mean to interrupt your um dinner and a show."

Regina gave her a look to show she didn't appreciate being snuck up on or made fun of. "You can feel free to eat at your parents or Granny's tonight."

"Hey, no need to act rashly," Emma said coming through. "I am just a little surprised that you …"

"That I can sing,"

"Well yeah, and the fact you would be singing Pink."

"She is a highly rated musician who has some very good songs."

Emma couldn't keep the smile off her face. Never in a million years would she think that Regina Mills would be the type to sing out loud.

"Would you quit looking at me like that," Regina said. "I have a meal to finish."

"Oh, by all means don't let me stop you."

"Get out."

"Fine, fine, just one more question - do you take requests?"

"Miss Swan!" Regina said using her go to phrase to show outrage to her wife.

"Sorry, I will go," Emma said, "But if you are feeling up to it I wouldn't mind if you sang me to sleep tonight."

The wooden spoon Regina had in her hand went flying over Emma as she ducked out of the room.

Marriage day 120

The three of them sat in the waiting area for their case to be called. The judge had ordered them to come back in four months for a status check in order to make sure all was well.

Regina had wanted to skip it, but Emma convinced her that skipping a court-ordered appointment wasn't the best idea. Besides she said it would get them out of Storybrooke for the day.

The docket must have been full as there were many people waiting and they were already an hour past their scheduled time. Finally, there names were called. Instead of being brought before the bench though they were taken to the judge's chamber. Attorneys weren't involved and the judge said it was more of a welfare check than anything else.

"Hi Henry," Judge Watson said. "How are you doing today?"

"I am good. We're going to the Red Sox game tonight."

"I am a big fan myself. Where are you sitting?"

"Along the first baseline."

"Good seats," he smiled. "I am glad to hear you are all taking the opportunity to see a game. "

"It's mom's first game."

"Mom is Regina, right?" he asked looking at the two women.

"Yes," Regina answered. They had spent one of the original sessions establishing who was mom and who was ma in the eyes of the court.

"So tell me how is married life treating you?"

Regina had already warned Emma that if she said or even thought about making light of things or making a joke, Regina was prepared to kill her.

"It's good," Regina answered. "I think like any newly married couple there has been some adjustment, but overall it's going well. We are all under the same roof and able to spend time together as a family like tonight's ball game. I think Henry really enjoys having both of him mothers around and it's been nice."

"Do you like having your moms under the same roof?"

"Yes," Henry said. "I like not having to go back and forth between them. If I need anything they are either both there or at least one of them is. And I think they both make each other happy."

Regina and Emma smiled at him before looking at each other.

"What about you Emma? How has married life been?"

"Great," Emma said. "It's just great."

"Do you care to elaborate?"

"Like Regina said there was some adjustment time there, and I think like any other married couple there are always going to be good times and not-so-good times but getting through those times together is what matters. You read my file. You know what a lot of my life was like. I did stupid things and it cost me the chance to be a mother to Henry from the start. But I couldn't have asked for a better mother than Regina was to him. And when I finally got my own shit together I suddenly found myself in their lives and now we're a family. I got the one thing I've always been searching for, but was never sure I would fine," Emma said. "Maybe I didn't find it, maybe they found me. All I know is this is what I want."

Regina was openly staring at Emma, touched by the words she had just said. The judge too noticed her look and smiled.

"Well everything looks to be in order here so I am going to let you go and enjoy your family time."

"Thank you, your honor," Regina said as they stood to leave. They had just gotten to the door.

"By the way," Judge Watson said. "Where are your rings?"

"Our rings?" Regina said and then looked down at her hand.

"I know you didn't have rings when I married you but I would have thought by now you would have gotten them."

"Um yes, it's um …" Regina looked at Emma unsure as to what to say.

"We are waiting," Emma said.

"For what?"

"Well you see we got married here so none of our friends or family could be part of it and so we are waiting to exchange rings at another ceremony back home on our six-month wedding anniversary," Emma said. "You're more than welcome to come seeing as you married us the first time around."

"I am flattered. Send the invite to my secretary and I will see if I am available."

"Great," Emma said.

They all walked out in silence. Then walked to the car in silence and got in.

"Did I just invite a judge to Storybrooke to see us get married again in front of friends and family?" Emma said.

Regina looked at her – her thoughts about this clear.

"What?" Emma said. "I panicked."

Marriage day 123

Emma sat on the couch watching TV when Regina came in and turned it off.

"Hey, what was that for?"

"Perhaps you are forgetting we sort of have a wedding plan," Regina said.

"Oh yeah that. Can't we just you know send an invite to the judge and wait for him to say he is busy?"

"And what if he says he can make it?"

"Then we get everyone down to town hall and do a quick like I do thing and then have an after party at Granny's."

"Miss Swan, if you want to ever become Mrs. Swan-Mills never, ever repeat that sentence in my earshot ever again. Now let's go; I have several things to help us get started laid out on the dining room table. We have two months which means we need to make some tough decisions really quick."

"What kind of decisions?" Emma said getting up and following her. She stopped when they got to the dining room. "You have got to be joking."

Nearly the entire table was laid out with bridal magazines, different types of stationary for invitations, pictures of flowers and so much more.

"I assure you, I am not joking. Sit," Regina said taking her own seat.

Emma approached the table with caution as if she was afraid the items on it would jump up and attack her.

"First we need to pick a Saturday that is close to our six-month anniversary, which should be easy enough, and then chose a venue and pick what kinds of invitations to send out since we have to send one to the judge," Regina said. "Why don't you start sorting the stationary out into two piles of ones you like and ones you don't like, and I will look at the possible venues and give you my top three or five choices."

Emma just stared at the stationary as Regina placed it in front of her.


	12. Chapter 12

Marriage day 127

"You look tired," Charming said to his daughter as he got to the station. "Another late night of wedding planning."

"It's not a wedding. It's a six-month anniversary commitment ceremony," Emma replied. "And one which is surely going to kill me. I mean did you have any idea these things were so complicated?"

"No, not really. Then again your mom and I got married in the enchanted forest and as royalty I think there were people who did a lot of the stuff. I think I got fitted for my clothes and that was about it."

"Please don't mention clothes."

He gave her a curious look, assuming the what to wear topic had already been brought up. He took a seat in front of her desk. "Look, I am going to be straight with you, this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better."

"Oh no, of that I well aware. I mean I knew Regina was a little OCD, but damn this is like a whole other level. Did you know for instance that the type of stationary – the color, the feel, the lettering all have to be carefully chosen because each in their own way conveys a message about the couple?"

"Um … I was unaware."

"Yeah me too. I am pretty sure I could now tell you what each color conveys, but fail the quiz on lettering and stationary."

He laughed at her, even if he did feel sort of bad for her. "Do you know what you need?"

"A drink, preferably something straight from the bottle."

"No. What you need is a wedding wingman – someone who can handle these details with Regina, freeing you from the duty and the risk involved in not picking out the right flower arrangements."

"Not a bad idea, but don't I then risk Regina's wrath for not being involved?"

"No, not really. You see once she has this other person she will be more so busy consulting them and dealing with their enthusiasm over planning this commitment ceremony that she will forget all about you – at least in terms of planning this."

Emma studied her father a moment. "You have someone in mind don't you?"

"Well, your mom may have mentioned her disappointment at seeing your wedding."

"Really? She would? With Regina?"

"Most definitely."

Marriage day 128

"I agree, the white stationary is too conservative, and plain," Snow said as she sat at the kitchen table with Regina.

"I was thinking maybe a silver or a gold," Regina said.

"I think silver. It's a little more understated than the gold yet still says sophistication and elegance," Snow replied.

"Silver it is then," Regina smiled. "Now, what is your preference on the feel of the stationary – Emma was thinking glossy, but …"

"No glossy," Snow said. "This isn't an invitation to a kegger. The stationary needs to have texture, something a person can feel yet not in a way that overpowers the raised lettering. And speaking of lettering have you chosen a font yet."

"No. I am so behind I don't know how I am going to pull this off."

"You aren't. We are," Snow smiled. "Give me your top choices for the stationary texture and let's get that decision out of the way first."

Emma, who had been standing in the doorway, simply smiled and walked away. Clearly the two most important people in her life had this handled.

Marriage day 154

Regina was feeling better about how things were going. With Snow's help they had chosen the stationary – the color, texture, lettering and came up with the appropriate words to use to send out the invitations. Those were now on their way to people around town and of course the judge.

She had to admit that while she was slightly annoyed at Emma for her telling the judge they were having a six-month anniversary ceremony in front of friends and family in their town, she was also excited at the prospect of actually having a commitment ceremony (she wouldn't let people call it a wedding).

Their wedding had been a hurried thing that was over before Regina had really thought about what it meant. Now, despite the condensed time table, she could plan something that she and Emma could remember for a lifetime.

She was sitting at her desk at work thinking about that – her and Emma sharing a lifetime together. She hadn't really thought about in those terms but as she did now it made her happy.

She was Regina Swan-Mills and soon the people in town would all see it.

Yes they knew she and Emma had gotten married under unusual circumstances but for them to see that they were choosing to be with each other meant so much more. People would see they weren't just doing this for Henry, that they were doing this because they wanted to be together.

She hadn't said anything to Emma, but she was maybe a tad bit insecure that people thought Emma was only with her for Henry's sake. Regina knew that wasn't the case, but she still worried that other people thought that.

To have Emma stand up in front of those people and declare her love for Regina would mean the world to her.

Marriage day 157

Emma had been looking forward to this night – the first night where her mom wasn't over, or she didn't have to work or Regina was preoccupied – where she, Henry and Regina could just be alone.

She got off work and they immediately drove out of town, Emma having made reservations for them at a nice seaside restaurant. The meal was delicious and she stayed quiet through much of it, content to watch Henry and Regina interact. Seeing the two of them talk and Regina looking at Henry with that expression that only a mother could give – the one that says, 'I remember when you couldn't even walk, where did my beautiful baby go and why did he have to grow up?'

The two of them had this ease about each other that was different than her and Henry she had noticed. She supposed it was because Regina had raised them and they had spent so many years together where it was just the two of them. Occasionally Regina would catch her staring and flash that smile that made Emma want to melt. How had she gotten so lucky to get here, to find her family and be able to sit back in comfort knowing that is what they were, that they were family?

After dinner, they took Henry to the movie of his choice, Emma sitting in between them. Regina had placed her hand on hers much like she had the first time they had gone to a movie together. She had discovered in the course of their short marriage and ever since they had made love that one or the other almost always found a way to come into physical contact with the other. It was if they just needed that bit of reassurances that the other was still there.

Or maybe that was just Emma.

She had embraced the role of the one who had been supportive of the marriage from the get go, but the truth was she lived in fear that Regina would turn around and end it. She wasn't so naïve that she didn't know she had abandonment issues, but if Regina ever chose to leave her she was sure it would destroy her. After all it took to get them to this point, she wasn't sure what she would do if it was taken from her.

She pushed those thoughts down inside her like she did every time they surfaced. She looked over at Regina and smiled even though Regina wasn't paying attention to her. Then she looked at Henry. Yes, Emma Swan she thought, you are lucky.


	13. Chapter 13

Marriage day 160

Emma came into Regina's office waving a card in her hand. "The judge isn't coming," she said excitedly.

"What?"

"Apparently our commitment ceremony interferes with his niece's wedding, so he had to decline our invitation," she said tossing the card on the table and taking a seat. "Isn't it great? This means all the stressing over this is gone because we no longer have to put on a show for the judge."

Regina picked up the card and read it and put it back down. She could tell Emma was extremely pleased by this. "I guess we can call people who has RSVPed and let them know the ceremony is off," Regina said.

"What?" Emma said. "Why would we do that?"

"Oh, I though based on your reaction that you were wanting to cancel it since we don't have how did you put it, "put on a show for the judge.'"

"I didn't mean that I didn't want to have the ceremony. I just meant you know the stress of having to do it for him –finding a way to get him into town, get him to not see this place is a little off – that kind of stress. I wasn't suggesting we call the whole thing off. Christ woman you have been going at this non-stop with my mother, I am not sure which of you actually wants this more."

"First off, never refer to me as woman. Secondly, my only concern is that you want this."

Emma got up and came around the desk, bending down to kiss her wife. "I want this," she said. "After all, how we can go on a honeymoon if we don't do the whole ceremony first."

"Honeymoon?"

"Yeah. You aren't the only one who has been planning something," she smiled.

Regina gave her a questioning look, "Were you planning on letting me know about these plans?"

"Nope."

"Then how will I know what to pack?"

"Don't worry, woman. You won't need clothes where we are going," she said moving away quickly before Regina could make her pay for the woman comment.

Marriage day 163

Regina marked the day off the calendar before turning off the lights to go to bed. The time of the ceremony was approaching quickly and she was afraid there was something she was forgetting to do. She had gone over her checklist yet again and everything seemed in order, but she couldn't help but feel she was overlooking something.

She went upstairs – Emma having retired at least an hour ago. She entered the room and turned on her closet light and changed in there before getting into bed. She snuggled in closer to Emma who was sleeping already. She never thought she would get used to sleeping so well next to another person but strangely enough Emma made her feel so at ease here in bed. She found she was tired, but not sleepy so she lay there and ran her finger along Emma's arm for a bit thinking about what their ceremony was going to be like. Even though she called it a commitment ceremony she knew it was nothing short of a wedding.

"If you keep touching me like that you are going to wake me up," a tired Emma said.

"Would that be such a bad thing?" Regina responded.

Emma reached out and touched Regina's side and then her leg. "You are wearing too many clothes for that to be a good thing," Emma responded, turning over on her back.

Regina smiled and quickly straddled her wife, whom she was quite sure had decided it was time to go back to sleep, but Regina had other ideas. She leaned over and kissed Emma who reached up and touched her.

"Still too many clothes," she said.

Regina laughed and took off her pajama top to which Emma moved into entirely too fast for someone who was supposed to be sleeping and grabbed her breasts. Regina again kissed her enjoying the feeling of Emma hands on hers.

"Someone is liking this," Emma said as she flicked at one of Regina's now solid nipples.

"Always," Regina said silencing her with another kiss. Regina kissed her way down Emma's body until she reached the curve of her tank top. Emma sat up, divesting herself of the garment and pulling Regina into her for kisses. Their breasts pressed against each other and Regina moved her hips to apply more friction.

Regina pushed Emma back against the bed and resumed her path of kisses. She kissed around each breast but didn't touch the nipples or use her hands. She continued down moving in between Emma's legs where Emma helped her remove the shorts and panties she was wearing. Regina kissed down along her hips and thighs before moving back up again causing Emma to make a noise of disappointment.

"Patience," Regina whispered.

"Easy for you to say." Emma responded. "Your sexy ass wife hasn't spent 10 minutes kissing your body."

"Are you complaining?" Regina said stopping.

"No," Emma said quickly. "Just establishing that you are a tease."

Regina smiled knowing it was true. She did like bringing Emma to the brink slowly, but tonight was not one of those nights. She took one of the nipples into her mouth and sucked hard on it while twisting the other. Another thing she had learned about her wife – she didn't mind the occasional rougher play.

"Fuck," Emma said when Regina did it again.

"That's exactly what I plan on doing my dear," Regina said kissing her again while pressing their cores together.

"Pajama pants off," Emma ordered her.

Regina hastily complied and this time when she pressed their bodies together she could feel Emma's wetness. She remembered the first time she had cum from scissoring with Emma. They had been so hot for each other that as they had rubbed their clits together the response was inevitable.

But Regina had other pursuits in mind for the night. She shifted position so she could suck on one of Emma's tits while pushing two of her fingers into Emma. "God," Emma breathed out. Emma moved her hips up to increase the depth of Regina's fingers.

Regina thrust harder and harder, never removing her mouth from Emma's breast. She added another finger and pushed in harder and faster until she felt Emma's muscles contract as the orgasm hit her.

Emma breathed loudly while Regina licked her fingers clean.

"Up," Emma said.

"What?"

"Move up," she said as Emma slid down. She indicated she wanted Regina on top of her and once she realized what Emma want she had her knees on either side of Emma's head, her pussy positioned just above her mouth. Emma grabbed her thighs and sunk her tongue inside of Regina.

She bounced up and down on Emma's tongue feeling filled even though she knew it was not possible. She made noises as she moved relishing the feel of her wife's tongue.

When she came she fell forward, having to use the back board to stop herself.

She got off of Emma and laid down beside her.

"Can we sleep now?" Emma said wrapping her arm around her.

Marriage day 164

Regina woke suddenly sitting up.

"What is it?" Emma said.

"I remembered what I forgot."

"You remembered what you forgot? Ok, what is it?"

Regina looked over at her. "The rings. We don't have wedding rings. The one thing that started all of this and I completely forgot."

"We can stop by the jewelry store at lunch time, no biggie," Emma said.

"No biggie. Do you have any idea how long it takes to get rings?"

"No clue."

Regina laid back down – they would never get acceptable rings in time.

Marriage day 170

"You look beautiful," Snow said as she saw her daughter in her wedding dress for the first time.

Emma turned around to see herself in all of the mirrors.

"Do you think Regina will like it?"

"Yes," Snow said. "I think she will like it."

"Good because we don't have time for another fitting."

"I can't believe you are getting married in six days."

"I am already married."

"You know what I mean."

Emma smiled looking down at her dress. "Does this match Regina's well?"

Snow smiled. Emma had been trying to get her to reveal what she knew of Regina's dress for the last week.

"I think it matches fine," Snow said.

"Since we are married already, don't you think it's a little ridiculous that she won't tell me?"

"No. I am not siding with you on this one my daughter," Snow said. "You will just have to wait."

"I don't like waiting."

"It's six more days," she reminded her.

Marriage day 171

Regina and Henry were sitting on the couch as Emma returned home. They immediately broke apart as she came in.

"You two look like a couple of conspirators," Emma said leaning against the door frame.

"Conspirators?" Regina said. "We were merely talking."

"That I don't believe you," Emma said. "What's for dinner?"

"We ate already. There is a plate in fridge for you to warm up."

Emma gave them another look before going into the kitchen.

Henry looked at Regina. "Do you think she suspects?"

"Yes, but she doesn't know what to suspect exactly so we are good," Regina said smiling and giving him a hug.

Marriage day 175

"We're getting married tomorrow," Emma said kissing Regina.

"I know," she said kissing her back.

They were in Emma's office, Regina sitting on Emma's lap, her arms around her neck to keep balance and the ease of kissing.

Emma moved her head back. "You didn't correct me that time and tell me it was a commitment ceremony."

Regina kissed her, "I am getting a honeymoon out of it so I might as well let you call it a wedding. Care to tell me where we will be going after the reception?"

"Care to tell me what you are wearing to the wedding or why you and now everyone else seems to be awfully light on the ceremony details?"

"No," Regina smiled kissing her.

"You know since this isn't technically a wedding I don't see why I have to stay at Ruby's tonight instead of in bed with you."

"Your mom has insisted on a few wedding traditions," Regina said.

"Can you not mention my mom in a sentence after I mention our bed?"

Regina laughed and kissed her wife before she moving off of her. Emma tried to grab for her. "Tomorrow my wife," she said pulling away.


	14. Chapter 14

Marriage day 176

When the door opened, Emma immediately woke up – greeted by Ruby who was carrying a cup of coffee for her and her mother who had a beaming smile for her.

"What time is it?" Emma asked sitting up and taking the coffee from Ruby.

"It's just before 8," Snow said.

"Eight, the wedding isn't until three, I am going back to bed for an hour," she said trying to hand the cup back to Ruby who laughed at her.

"Come on, get up," Ruby said. "You are getting married today and there is lots to do."

"I am putting on a dress and reciting vows with someone I am already married to, I don't think that involves seven hours of prep time."

"Thirty minutes," Snow said. "We will give you thirty minutes and then you need to be in the shower."

"What about breakfast?"

"Sleep or breakfast, you choose," her mom smiled.

She groaned and pulled her blanket aside, "fine, feed me first."

…

The alarm went off, but Regina was already awake. She turned it off and resumed standing there by the window looking out. She hadn't slept well. She didn't know if it was nerves or just not having Emma there beside her. Still she wasn't about to let it ruin her day.

She had wanted this ceremony to be perfect – her gift to Emma, and she had to admit that she couldn't have done it without Snow's assistance. Snow had thought of things she hadn't and kept her from stressing out too much. She didn't really care what the others thought of it. All that mattered was what Emma thought of it, and now the day had arrived and she was struck by a small case of second guessing the direction she took with this ceremony.

There was nothing she could do about it now but start her day.

…

Emma was grateful when Ruby snuck her a bear claw while she was getting her hair done. It was taking forever and she had gotten hungry. She was at one of stylists in town and wondered if Regina was at the other one. Snow had confiscated her phone the night before to keep her from texting or calling Regina, even though Emma pointed out that nothing in traditions stated she couldn't speak with her intended.

She was beginning to think she might be addicted to Regina as even these hours apart were driving her crazy. She just wanted to get to the church and see her wife.

"Do you think it's odd that Regina didn't insist on a rehearsal dinner?" she asked Ruby.

"Why is that odd?"

"You know she's kind of anal about things and I got to thinking last night that it was weird we didn't have one."

"Yes, but we all know what we are doing so why practice it?"

"I guess," Emma shrugged. The truth was she wasn't entirely sure what she was supposed to be doing. But since the goal was for them to both be standing there in front of the altar – at least she knew what side she was supposed to be on as they had gone and scoped it out – she supposed the rest of it didn't matter. She was suspicious though because she knew Regina was planning something and she clearly had Snow and Henry on her side for it.

As her hair was being done, others had worked on her nails. She was almost able to take a nap while they were doing it. She wouldn't even be going through all this trouble if she didn't think that this was what Regina would want.

….

Regina looked at herself in the floor length mirror. This was only the second time she had worn it and she couldn't help but circle around several times to be sure that it fit perfectly and moved perfectly with her body. A smile graced her lips as she thought about Emma seeing her wearing this for the first time. She was sure Emma would like it – especially the form fitting parts, but she since it played into the big part of the surprise she was still slightly unsure.

"You look beautiful."

She turned to see Henry standing in the doorway.

"Do you think Emma will like it?"

"I think she will love it," he said approaching her.

"Well you look quite handsome yourself," she said admiring her son all dressed up.

"I am thankful you didn't make me wear a tie."

"You are lucky it didn't quite match the attire or you would be wearing one. But I suppose tie wearing can wait until your first formal school dance." She smiled at him and they shared a hug. She pulled him in view of the mirror so she could see what they would like standing side by side as they would be at the wedding. After all, Henry was the best man.

…

Emma wanted to jump and down in celebration when they told her that her hair was finally done. She looked at herself in the mirror and had to admit that the curls made her look – she wasn't sure what the word was – not more feminine but definitely softer. She was still looking in the mirror when her mother returned from wherever she had been for the last 45 minutes.

"Stay seated," she said as Emma was half way out of the seat. "We have one more final addition for your hair."

She unwrapped something from a piece of cloth and handed it to the stylist who put it on her Emma's head, then fixing the hair all around it. Emma could only stare in the mirror.

"Do you like it?"

"Um, yeah," Emma said. She was transfixed by the crown that now encircled her head.

"It's a replica of the one I wore when I was princess," Snow said and Emma looked at her.

"It is?"

"Yes. You're a princess and it's only fitting that as royalty you wear a crown when you get married."

Emma reached up and touched it, almost afraid it would break as it looked so thin. It weighed next to nothing yet seemed to have a substance to it that she couldn't begin to describe. It almost looked like a spider had spun a web and it was frozen in crown form as she could make out fine lines etched throughout it even though to touch it, it was smooth.

"I don't want to see ungrateful, but you don't think Regina will be bothered by this do you? I mean she was queen."

Snow smiled, "She used her magic to fashion the crown after I had mentioned I would like to see my daughter wearing one. So yes, she will be more than fine with it."

Emma smiled her eyes still stuck on the crown. "Thank you mom," she said finally.

"You're welcome."

…

Regina arrived early. She had spent much of her time – and her magic – here last night and she needed to make sure it was all still set. It all seemed to be in order so she let herself relax momentarily. She walked up and took her position, standing there to picture how it would all look

…

Getting in the dress after having her hair done was a special little torture Emma was glad she would never have to do again. Once the dress was on though she had to admit she looked really good. She could almost feel Regina's eyes raking over the white dress, thinking about what was underneath it and how she would be enjoying it later. Emma was already thinking the same thing about seeing Regina's dress.

Emma's dress was strapless with a closed back, chapel train that only flowed about three feet behind her. The top was a chantilly lace whose web like pattern she realized closely matched her crown. Overall it was a simple dress, Emma not wanting to wear anything too frilly because it wasn't her style.

"You look amazing," her father said.

She turned to see him there. She had changed at her parents' home while Ruby and Snow went to go change at Ruby's. They had left not long after she was dressed fully. She had been waiting for perhaps 30 minutes just admiring herself in the mirror when James showed up. Looking at her father now, she wondered what kind of wedding she was attending. He noticed her attention and looked down at his own garment.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

She gave him a curious look. "You wouldn't find that kind of suit anywhere around here."

"No," he smiled. "Not short of a costume shop I suppose. In our world though, this would be very appropriate for a man to wear when attending a wedding, especially the father of the bride. It actually is very similar to what I wore when I married your mother."

"Why do I get the feeling that all Regina's talk about having a traditional wedding didn't mean so much tradition for this world?"

Charming smiled at her. "It's almost time go, are you ready?"

"Yes," she said.

He offered his arm to her, which she took with a smile on her face.

…

"Um, we just past by the church," Emma observed. She was sitting in the back of the limo with her father.

"Don't worry, the driver knows where to take us."

"You aren't kidnapping me are you? I mean if you had an issue with me marrying Regina it would have been better if you spoke up sooner."

He smiled at her, "Your mother and I just want you to be happy and Regina clearly makes you happy so we're not going to stand in the way of that. You know your mother has always wanted to have a special relationship with Regina – ever since Regina saved her life as a kid, and planning this wedding together I think they finally got there. Believe it or not, Snow has always been the one to convince me that Regina was possible of good. Have I had my doubts about that, certainly I have, but when I see her look at her you, I know she loves you."

"I love her," Emma said. "I know it seems crazy but she and I just fit together if you know what I mean."

"I do know what you mean," he said

She noticed they were driving out of the town proper and resisted the urge to ask where they were going, and almost did when she saw it.

"Holy shit," she said. "Is that real?"  
James laughed, "Not entirely. It's an illusion."

She stared up as the castle as they got closer to it. It was one hell of an illusion she thought.

The limo parked outside of the drawbridge and her father got out moving around to let her out. Again he offered her his arm, which she took.

"Welcome to your fairy tale wedding Emma," he said.

She couldn't respond. She was too astounded at what she was seeing. He led her across the drawbridge and through a courtyard. She kept looking all around her. They entered the castle and there were two large doors looming before them. Two men dressed in formal wear reminiscent of the Enchanted Forest were there. Emma recognized them as two of the mechanics from Danny's Garage. Charming nodded to them and they pulled open the doors just as the wedding march began to play.

Charming led Emma in as the guests rose to their feet. It was as if all of Storybrooke was there, and they were all dressed as if they were back home. She almost tripped over her own feet staring at them. Her father led her down the aisle and as soon as she caught sight of Regina she almost did trip.

Regina wasn't wearing a dress.

She wore black pants with high healed boots, a white shirt that was cut low but had a short standing collar. There was a red vest just peaking out of the black jacket that tapered down in the back. It looked like a mixture of a tuxedo and what her father was wearing, yet nothing about it seemed manly. Emma thought she looked like pure sex and she wasn't sorry at all about thinking that.

Standing next to her was Henry wearing a similar version of what Regina was wearing, although more like what her father was wearing. Both were smiling at her.

They got to the front and Emma took Regina's hand as she stepped up to stand in front of her. "Wow," Emma said. She didn't care if she was supposed to stay quiet or not. She needed to stay that.

"I've always said black was my color," Regina smiled.

Now that she was close up, Emma could see that there was tracings of red thread throughout the black jacket – very subtle and not able to be seen except for close up. The pattern matched the web-like pattern of the lace on Emma's dress.

The collar on the jacket rose up just above the shirt's collar. She saw Henry's was the same, meaning he couldn't wear a tie. She knew he had complained about the idea of wearing a tie, and she thought this was a handsome alternative for him. For Regina it highlighted her neck in a way that made Emma want to clamp her mouth down on it.

She was so distracted in fact she missed that the minister had begun speaking already. She looked into Regina's eyes and saw nothing but love reflected back at her.

"It's my understanding the couple has written their own vows," the minister said. "Regina, you may begin."

Regina smiled at Emma. "I don't know how I got here. I honestly don't. I don't know how or why fate or some higher power let me stand here in front of you like this. And maybe it doesn't matter how or why. Maybe all that matters is that I am here standing before the woman I love. Emma Swan, I pledge my life to you from this day forward. I give you my life, my heart, my soul for you to do with what you wish because I have no use for them if I can't share them with you. This - you, me, Henry, this is what I want. And all I want in return is an eternity of this."

She turned and got the ring from Henry which she now slipped onto Emma's finger. She recognized what it was immediately – it was made of magic just like her crown. It was silver and it simple and it meant the world to her suddenly that she entirely missed the cue that it was her time to speak.

"Emma," the minister said urging her to speak.

"Yeah," she said smiling. "Um … I completely forgot what I was going to say. I realize that whatever it was, it wouldn't be adequate after the words you just said. I love you Regina. I don't know how to say it any better than that." She turned toward the guests, "You see this gorgeous woman right here? I love her," she said more loudly. "She is my wife, she is the mother of my son and she is the other half of my soul." She turned back to Regina. "I promise you an eternity of this, an eternity of my love. All I want it to be able to wake up beside you; comfort you when you are feeling down, share popcorn with you and Henry on movie nights. I want this – you, me and Henry – for an eternity."

She reached behind her and got the ring from Ruby, her maid of honor. She saw it was identical to hers and she placed it on Regina's finger.

"I love you," she whispered and she leaned forward and kissed her.

The minister cleared his throat. "We weren't quite there yet," he said. Emma merely shrugged and stepped back to let the minister finish. She never heard what else he said until he pronounced that they were married and she could kiss her bride.


	15. Chapter 15

Emma danced with her father for the second time at her reception. They had already done the official daughter-father dance near the beginning and the only reason she was dancing with him again and not Regina was because she wanted to make sure all was set for her and her bride to go on their honeymoon.

"I have everything well in hand," Charming reassured her.

"I know, I know. But nine days is a long time and you guys are busy enough with my little brother and now you have to watch the station and take care of Henry."

"You could always stay home if you are that worried about it,"

Emma glanced over at Regina who was talking with Tink and said, "No way. I am not missing my honeymoon."

Charming smiled at her, "You know your mother and I were really happy you and Regina decided to have this public ceremony. We've missed so much of your life; we shouldn't have to miss any more of the big moments."

"Well I am still waiting on those last 28 years of birthday presents," Emma said.

"What say I don't give you the sex talk before your honeymoon and we call it even?"

"Deal."

Have you told Regina where you are going yet?"

"No, although she has asked me about four times already since the reception started. She has taken up guessing."

"Has she gotten close?"

"Nope. It's been fun torturing her about it. I told her it was payback for the surprise wedding she pulled off."

"I am sure she will love it."

"I know I will. The temperatures are not super high there but I think I can convince Regina to keep the clothes to a minimum."

"There are some things your father doesn't need to hear."

They broke off from dancing and Emma returned to Regina's side. It was time for them to get moving Emma decided as she put her arm around her wife and gave her a kiss. "What say we do one more sweep around the room and then head to our honeymoon?"

"Would that be our honeymoon in Bali?"

"No," Emma. "You will have to wait until we get to the airport."

"Airport?"

"Yes, how else did you expect me to whisk you away on a honeymoon?"

"Magic."

"Yeah, that doesn't work so well out in the real world."

"I am sure we could handle it. Our magic works stronger together."

Emma gave her a curious look, "Oh God, you've never flown before."

"Of course not. When would I have had the occasion to do that?"

"Hey, it's not a big deal, really I've flown many times and the plane has never crashed."

"That's not actually comforting."

"Sorry," Emma said. "Look if you don't want to fly I am come up with another honeymoon spot that we can drive to."

"No," Regina said. "I am sure it will be fine. I mean how bad could it be?"

…

20 hours later

"Um Regina, we're here," Emma said. "We need to get off the plane now."

Emma was a little concerned with how pale Regina was. The other woman hadn't said much during the 15 hours of flight time to their destination – San Sebastian.

They had left the reception, their bags already packed and had driven to Portland where they caught a flight first to New York for a short layover and then on to Spain. When they had disembarked in New York Emma had to hold Regina's hand to get her back on a plane. She kept talking about how magic was a more efficient way to travel and Emma end up telling one person that Regina had too much to drink so the wouldn't pay attention to her magic talk.

Now Regina looked like she was shell-shocked. Again she took Regina's hand and led her off the plane where Emma half expected her to kneel down and kiss the ground.

"We are not flying back," Regina said once they were through the airport and in the car that would take them to their hotel. "Magic, we can use magic."

Emma wasn't about to disagree with her and she ignored the driver who gave them a funny look.

They arrived at the hotel and Emma tipped the driver and they checked in. By the time they got to their suite Regina seemed to gain some color back in her cheeks. She opened the doors to the balcony and stepped outside. Emma came up behind and wrapped her arms around her.

"What do you think?"

"It's breathtaking," Regina said as she looked out over the water.

Emma pulled her around and kissed her. The one bad part about a long flight for the honeymoon was actually getting to this part of the honeymoon. Regina felt the same as she eagerly returned those kisses as she pushed Emma back into their room, pulling off Emma's shirt in the short trip to the bed. A few seconds later her bra joined it on the floor.

"I love you," Regina said between kisses and as she grabbed both breasts. "I love seeing the look on your face as you walked down the aisle. I loved the words you said and the moment you put that ring on my finger."

She stopped talking as she kissed Emma again and again. When she stopped again it was to unbutton Emma's pants and pull them and her panties down. Emma, who had removed her shoes when they had entered, stepped out of the pants and was greeted with Regina's tongue on her clit.

Things were moving fast and Emma didn't mind in the least bit. She reveled in the feel of Regina's tongue moving around, over and along her clit and down through her slit and into her. She held on to Regina's hair as her wife used her mouth to pleasure her, but as fast as it took she also knew this was just the opening act and Regina had no intention of letting her cum that easily. As if to prove the point, Regina stood up and kissed her again. She tasted herself in Regina's mouth and moaned into the kiss when Regina grabbed her ass cheeks hard.

This was definitely going to be one of those times when Regina wanted to be in control and Emma was more than happy to let her be.

Regina pushed Emma back onto the bed with a smirk, "Get comfortable."

"Oh I am comfortable, but you my dear are wearing too much clothing."

"Am I?"

"Oh yes, there is a rule that all honeymooners need to be naked within the first 30 minutes of arriving at the hotel. If you hurry you will make it and we won't have to punish you later."

"Well I wouldn't want to break any honeymoon laws," Regina said pulling off her shirt. She removed her bra slowly and tossed it to Emma.

"Do I get your panties next?"

Regina smiled as she took off her khakis.

"Holy shit, you aren't wearing any underwear," Emma said. "This entire time you've been like that."

"I thought for sure you could tell when you grabbed my ass in that corner in the New York airport."

"No, but now I am wishing I had taken advantage of that. We could have joined the mile-high club on the flight over."

"Don't ruin the mood by mentioning that death trap with wings."

"Sorry, please continue."

"Thank you. Now where was I?"

"I think you were getting ready to join your wife on the bed for some honeymoon sex."

"Oh that's right," Regina said and she moved quickly to be not just on the bed, but on top of her wife, kissing her once more. "Have I told you how amazing you looked in that dress?"

"Yes, about a hundred times, or at least once for every time I said you looked beautiful in that suit."

"I believe the last thing you said was I looked fuckable in and out of that suit."

Emma kissed her back, "Totally fuckable."

She wrapped her arms around Regina once more, wanting to feel her entire body against hers as they kissed. They ended up on their sides facing each other as they kissed and touched each other. Sometimes her leg was in between Regina's; sometimes Regina would bend down to suck on her nipples, but despite their movements they always seemed to come back to kissing each other – deeply.

Regina began to rub Emma's pussy, but again not with the intention of making her cum yet. Emma felt a finger slide through her folds and back up – once, twice and then Emma watched as Regina took that finger into her mouth and ran her tongue along.

Jesus, Emma thought that might be one of the most sensual things she had ever seen. She needed more of this woman and so she pushed her back down on to the bed and straddled her. She leaned over and latched onto the side of Regina's neck using her tongue to flick that spot just behind the ear that she knew gave Regina goosebumps. Regina had her hand on her tits once again as Emma made use of her new position to rub her pussy against Regina's as she continued to kiss her neck.

"I love you," she said in Regina's ear. "I love you my wife."

"I love you too," Regina said directing her head back so she could kiss her. Regina was pushing her hips up to keep the movement of their pussies going until Emma moved so she could take one of Regina's nipples into her mouth. She sucked on the hardened flesh and then bit lightly on it – well not too light as she got a dose of Regina's fingernails in her back for the move. It didn't hurt and Emma found it arousing.

She started to move down lower, but Regina stopped her and rolled their positions over. "My turn."

Regina wasted no time going down on her. This time Emma knew it was designed to make her cum. She used her tongue like a weapon, spearing her clit first, pushing it upwards with just her tongue before spreading her legs farther apart and entering her. Emma felt the tongue moving in and out and she felt like heaven had descended upon her. She looked down past her stomach having to see Regina down there working so hard to give her pleasure. She had to admit she loved watching Regina going down on her.

It was like watching porn but trying not get caught at it.

Regina continued to use her tongue to delve inside her and Emma put her head back down on the pillow, gripping the sheets. She wanted to cum yet wanted to hold off at the same time.

"I fucking love you," she breathed out. "I love you Regina. God, Regina, God."

She pushed her pussy down on that tongue as it entered her and was rewarded with an orgasm that flashed through her body like lightning connecting with water. Regina crawled back up her body and kissed her and again Emma rejoiced in the taste of herself on Regina's tongue.

"You are so beautiful," Regina said looking down at her. "I could be content to just stare at you all day."

"Oh no you don't," Emma smiled. "It's my turn."


	16. Chapter 16

Marriage day 180

Emma and Regina sat at a café in the older section of San Sebastian. They were on the third day of their honeymoon, and out of the hotel room for their longest amount of time. Emma had thought making love to Regina wouldn't be any different now seeing as they were married for nearly six months before their honeymoon, but that first time in the hotel room had showed her that it could be different.

After Regina had gone down on her, Emma took over and didn't stop until her wife was completely, utterly satisfied and Emma couldn't help but smile that she had essentially forced Regina into sleeping because she had worn her out.

"You are doing it again," Regina said.

Emma smiled, as she asked, "What am I doing?"

"I was tired," Regina said. "Being awake for every minute of that terrifying flight after our wedding, I was tired."

"I know," Emma said. "Which is why I put you to sleep."

Regina rolled her eyes.

She had to admit Emma had chosen well in her choice of honeymoon locations. This city had an old world charm that appealed to Regina. She had purchased a tourist guide and had been reading about some of the local history. The Enchanted Forest had so much history that it made living in Maine seem like America was a newborn. Yes more than 200 years, but there were places in Europe like San Sebastian that could scoff at a mere 200 years.

Their first day she had asked Emma why San Sebastian.

Emma had said she wanted someplace that was not a stereotypical honeymoon spot like the Bahamas – although she reserved the right to take Regina there later if only to see her lying around in a bikini for several days. She had never been to another country so had wanted to go overseas.

One thing she mentioned to Regina had caught her off guard slightly. Emma said she also researched countries to make sure they were homosexual friendly. The thought hadn't even occurred to Regina. She knew there were people who would never accept same-sex couples, but honestly it wasn't something she had thought about. When two people loved each other it shouldn't matter, she told Emma, earning a deep kiss from her wife.

After eating a light lunch, they set out again, walking mostly to take in the sights. Every where they went, they held hands, took picture of places to show Henry and took several shots of each other.

Regina had wanted to walk around and look at the buildings. She always found architecture to be interesting and San Sebastian had many different types to admire. She would point out things she liked or note a similarity to things from the Enchanted Forest. Emma listened to all she had to say although Regina doubted Emma was as interested as she was. Emma would just look at her and smile.

The whole day was perfect in Regina's mind.

When they returned to the hotel room, despite Emma wanting other things, Regina insisted they shower and get ready for dinner. She had specialty ordered a couple of dresses and had them sent to the hotel room earlier. She was going to take Emma out tonight and she wasn't skimping on anything.

She was dressed before Emma and putting her earrings on when Emma emerged from the bathroom. Regina stopped what she was doing and just stared. While she had chosen a little black dress for herself, she had adorned Emma in a silver one. Between her blonde hair and her fair skin, Regina thought she was looking at an angel.

"We're going to be late for dinner if all you are going to do is stand there and stare."

Regina smiled, "I guess I do have time to stare at you during dinner."

"I probably won't notice," Emma said coming up to her. "If only because I will be too busy staring you."

They shared a kiss and then Regina finished putting on her earring and they headed downstairs. Regina had rented a limo for the evening and as soon they were inside it – the driver already knowing where to go – she kissed Emma again. The limo was stocked with champagne and she poured some for each of them. They sipped their drinks, sitting close to each other in the backseat simply enjoying each other's company.

The restaurant Regina had chosen was not too far away, and while it wasn't the most premier of the places available it offered her one thing she was looking for – privacy. As much as she wouldn't mind showing off how sexy Emma looked, she wanted to be able to bask in the glow of the honeymoon high without interruptions.

And she was still on a high.

From the moment she saw Emma walking down the aisle she had been living in her fairy tale – ironic she knew.

This was how marriage was supposed to be, how it was supposed to feel. As much as she told herself she wasn't going to do it, she had thought about how different her life would be if it had simply started in Storybrooke and not back home. If Emma had been her only marriage everything would have been different.

"Penny for you thoughts," Emma asked noticing Regina no longer seemed to be mentally in the same car as her.

Regina smiled at her as they felt the limo stop – they were there. She took Emma's hand. "I was just thinking how lucky I am."

"I don't know, I feel like the lucky one," Emma said kissing her,

The driver opened the door for them and they exited the vehicle hand in hand. They entered the restaurant, Regina giving their names and they were led back to a small nook – the kind of privacy Regina had been looking for. They were closed off on three sides and the entrance to it was positioned in a way that they couldn't see the other tables in the restaurant proper unless they moved to see.

She ordered a bottle of wine after consulting the list and then they listened as the waiter reviewed the night's specials. She ordered a chicken while Emma went with a lobster-based pasta. Their meals prompted a conversation about different foods in the Enchanted Forest, which Emma was more than happy to have missed eating growing up. Regina had to laugh when Emma commented on how unsanitary it must have been without actual regulations. Regina admitted she had a point but at the same time it wasn't like they knew things like food regulations so they didn't think anything of it.

Their food was exquisite and declined the dessert mostly because the meal itself was more than enough. Throughout dinner, Regina found her eyes drawn to Emma's lips as they glided along her fork. The limo came to pick them up outside and she instructed the driver to just drive; she didn't care where, just drive until she told him to return to the hotel. The tinted windows and the divider between them and the driver gave them even more privacy. As the car began to move, Regina was kissing those lips she had been admiring.

When Regina kissed her Emma knew they were going to be having sex in the back of the limo. She was all for it.

She deepened the kiss immediately letting Regina know she was all in.

"I have a surprise for you," Regina said looking her in the eyes.

"And what would that be?"

Regina brought Emma's hand down and up under her dress and Emma's eyes got wide.

"No wonder I couldn't detect a panty line," Emma smiled.

She brought her hand out from between Regina's legs, but only so she could get her wife to adjust positions in order to take the dress off of her.

"Someone has been shopping," Emma said taking in the black garter belt and stockings.

"Do you like?"

"Very much," Emma said. She ran her finger along the top of Regina's bra slowly. She leaned over and kissed the top of each breast. Regina almost always wore front-clasping bras to which Emma was appreciative of. She undid the clasp and freed what she considered to be two of perfect formations. Emma kissed around the tops and then used her tongue to tease each nipple.

Once each had hardened she began using her fingers to tweak and pull on them while she kissed along Regina's neck. She stopped and pulled back so she could take her own clothes off. She kept Regina from removing her garter and stockings. Not only did she love the way they looked on her wife since Regina wasn't wearing any panties she had all the access she needed.

Still she took some time running her hands up and down those legs to feel the stockings before taking up position between Regina's legs. She spread the legs farther apart, keeping her hands on Regina's knees for a moment before she took her first taste for the evening. She made a firm point with her tongue and ran it slowly up her slit.

She flattened out her tongue and took a wider sweep this time.

Regina already had her hands on Emma's head, not applying pressure but she did have her fingers woven into Emma's hair.

Emma continued to work her tongue along her clit before entering her with two fingers.

"Emma."

God she loved to hear her name come from Regina's mouth when she was being pleasured.

She sucked hard on Regina's clit while moving in and out of her. She knew it wouldn't take long for Regina at this rate. She kept working her hard so that Regina was panting and this time she was pushing on Emma's head. She came hard and Emma licked her clean as Regina just rested her head back against the seat.

…

When they returned to the hotel, they shared a shower and then changed clothes. Both of them were awake so they decided to take a late night stroll. They were a few blocks from the hotel, just walking hand in hand.

"You know I was thinking about earlier when you were saying how lucky you were," Emma said. "I think we're both lucky, and so is Henry. Everything about us from an outside observer probably screams there is no way we are here right now on our honeymoon. But we beat the odds."

Regina smiled at her, "Yes we did."


	17. Chapter 17

Marriage day 185

Emma woke to an empty bed.

She sat up and noticed the doors to the balcony was open and there was a slight breeze coming in which was cooling off the room significantly. It was probably what woke her up in the first place as she was normally a fairly heavy sleeper. She got out of bed and pulled on the shorts and T-shirt she had discarded rather quickly earlier when they had gone to bed.

Emma, who shivered a little, walked out onto the balcony where Regina was sitting on one of the chairs just staring out at the view. She hadn't even noticed Emma come out.

"Hey, everything ok?" Emma asked taking the other chair.

"Yeah," Regina said looking over at her. "Except the honeymoon is almost over."

"It had to end sometime."

"I know. It's just been really nice being here with you. I do miss Henry though."

"I miss him too. Just think of how excited he will be when we get back and give him his presents."

Regina stared off at the scenery once more and Emma sat there and stared at her. Her wife was so beautiful and seeing her here in the middle of the night on this balcony with a low level of light shining on them from the moon made her seem even more enchanting. She slid from the chair and moved so she was kneeling in front of Regina, drawing her attention back from the view and onto her.

"You know the honeymoon isn't over yet, and since you insist on using your magic to get us back you have bought us a little more time."

"I told you my plan had merit," Regina said.

"Yes, well I still don't like the idea of you transporting us across an ocean, but I am going to trust that you know what you are doing. In the meantime, I was saying that we have more time yet before our honeymoon is over."

Regina smiled down at her. "I take if you have an idea of what to do with that time."

"Not all of it, I don't want to kill you from exhaustion and dehydration but yes I have an idea on how to spend some of that time," Emma said. Regina was wearing only a robe out on the desk and Emma would have thought she would be cold but that wasn't the case as she placed her hands on Regina's knees and moved them slowly up her thighs.

"Perhaps we should go inside," Regina said.

"Says the woman the almost had me cumming on a boat yesterday," Emma said.

Regina laughed thinking of how they took a sail around the coast the day before and while the captain was busy sailing, Regina took more than a little advantage of having Emma so scantily clad next to her.

Emma stood and offered Regina a hand and they headed back indoors, Regina shutting the door and closing the curtain. The room was suddenly much darker but Emma didn't need any light as she pushed the robe off of Regina's shoulders. It dropped to the ground and Emma placed her hands on her wife's hips and pulled her in for a kiss. They had made love earlier that night but that didn't stop Emma from wanting more.

There was something about Regina that made her constantly want more.

She wasn't looking for a slow pace now though as she dropped to her knees and began to lick Regina's clit. Emma had a very specific goal in mind – a goal attached to a stop she made in a little shop earlier that day. She grabbed Regina's ass as she delved her tongue deep inside. Regina had gone down on her earlier in the shower and the view of her on her knees with the water cascading down her body made it not last long for Emma.

She continued to lick, taste and suck until she was sure Regina was overflowing with wetness. She stood and led Regina to the bed, asking her to lie down. She walked over to the closet where she had put her earlier purchase, Regina who knew what was in the bag was watching her every move.

They had gone rounds over the whole Regina not wanting to fly thing and for Emma to agree, well, she was going to get something from the deal.

She quickly stripped and pulled on the strap on. It was an average sized dildo as she didn't want to make Regina uncomfortable. Emma would have been too embarrassed to take this back on the plane with them but since they weren't flying she went ahead and purchased it. She crawled up on the bed and over Regina's body, kissing her once more.

"Are you sure about this?" Emma asked. She had wanted to fuck Regina like this before but hadn't broached the subject until they were here. She felt a little guilty about using Regina's fear of flying to get her to agree to this deal, but only a little guilty because she had seen the glint in Regina's eyes when she had picked it out.

"Yes," Regina smiled. She almost pointed out to Emma that it wasn't like she had never had sex with a man before, but bit her tongue.

"Good," Emma said.

She continued to kiss Regina at first before using her hand to rub the dildo up and down Regina's slit. She was still plenty wet. God, she thought, what did she ever do to deserve being able to touch this woman like this. When she was ready she slowly pushed it in and Regina let out a small moan as she did. Emma brought it back out and then in once more again slowly, letting Regina get used to it.

Once she was sure Regina was more than getting into it as based on how sharply her nails were digging into Emma's back, Emma began to go faster. Using her hips she pushed into Regina, enjoying the moans and sounds coming out of her mouth. Emma looked down upon her wife as she was fucking her and thought again of how Regina made her want more. She wanted this woman to be hers forever, to always be able to touch her, hold her, kiss her. She wanted to wake up beside her in the morning and wrap her arms around her at night.

There wouldn't be a time that she wouldn't want this woman below her. Even if they never had sex again – God forbid – she never wanted to be parted from her. Emma wanted to live their lives together forever, maybe raise another child, have grandchildren, have everything.

She was breathing hard from the exertion and she was getting into it so much it was almost like she could feel Regina's inner walls caressing the dildo. It was pressing back against her clit and Emma realized she too was going to cum as she could tell it was building in her and in Regina. She thrust in a few more times and as Regina came Emma felt such love for her it was like her body was flowing with lava and she called out Regina's name as she came.

She had enough of her mind left to pull out and collapse next to her panting wife.

"What was that?" Regina said after a moment.

"Honey if you don't know what that was you haven't been paying attention," Emma said still trying to catch her breath.

"No," Regina said. "I thought for a moment there you used magic."

"Magic? Um no that was 100 percent sex machine Emma there,"

Regina chuckled, "I must have been mistaken. Then again I wasn't really paying attention. That was incredible."

Emma kissed her. "You are incredible."

Marriage day 186

"It's not too late to book a flight," Emma said as they carried their bags with them to the restroom in the lobby. They had checked out but needed a place to actually transport from and Regina chose the restroom as it provided some privacy.

Regina merely looked at Emma. "Just keep a hold of all your stuff and me."

Emma held her hand and Regina closed her eyes to concentrate. She had put a spell on the door to keep anyone from coming in until they were gone. She called up her magic, wrapped around her and Emma and she felt it jolt through her like lightening.

They appeared in their bedroom and Regina fell to one knee, Emma immediately dropping her bags and kneeling beside her. "Are you ok?"

"Yes," Regina nodded. "It took a little more out of me than I expected."

"I knew we should have flown."

"It's fine," Regina said standing up. "I am fine." She gave Emma a kiss to reassure her. "Now let's unpack and go pick up our son."

Marriage day 204

Emma held the door open for Regina and Henry as they entered Granny's to eat dinner. Regina had said didn't feel like cooking dinner although she had gotten out some meat to thaw out that morning. They took their seats with Emma sitting with Henry across from Regina. They ordered their food and as Henry was talking Emma studied Regina.

Ever since they had returned from their honeymoon something had been off with Regina. That first night back she had gone to bed early and Emma had to wake her the next morning when the alarm failed to wake her. Regina never slept that deeply.

When Emma questioned her after the second such night of sleeping, Regina conceded that the magic she expended to get them back may have exhausted her more than she had let on. Emma felt bad, knowing she should never have agreed to it in the first place.

It wasn't just the being tired, which had come and gone and come back again since they had been back, but Regina seemed more moody as well.

Their food came and while Regina got a salad, Emma and Henry got cheeseburgers. Regina had taken only a bite or two from the salad when she excused herself to go to the bathroom. When she was still in there after several minutes Emma got up to go check on her. She found Regina standing over the sink, hands on each side of it, her head down.

"What's wrong?" Emma said immediately.

"Nothing," Regina said. "It's just the smell of the food got me a little nauseous."

"I think you should let Doctor Whale check you out," Emma said.

"I'm fine."

"No you aren't. You've been in here for like six minutes now. You look pale like you are going to puke."

"Don't say puke," Regina winced and Emma was sure she got a shade paler.

"Come on, if you aren't going to let me take you to the doctor right now, you are going to let me take you home."

Regina didn't argue and took Emma's hand as they walked out. It took a few moments for their food to be packed up and Emma drove them home.

"I'm going to turn in," Regina said as soon as they were in the house.

"Are you ok mom?" Henry asked.

"I am fine dear. Just tired."

Emma and Henry watched as Regina disappeared upstairs. "Is she ok?" Henry asked.

"No," Emma said. "And she is about to hate me."

"Why?"

"Because I am taking her to the doctor tomorrow even if I have to handcuff her to do it."

Marriage day 205

Emma rushed out of bed as soon as she heard Regina in the bathroom. She opened the door to see Regina dry heaving into the toilet. Once done, Regina sat back against the wall.

"That's it, I am taking you to the hospital," Emma said kneeling in front of her and feeling her face, making sure she didn't have a fever or something.

"Perhaps you are right," Regina said.

….

Henry had protested that he wanted to go with them, but in the end, Emma dropped him off with her mother. They had no idea how long they were going to be at the hospital and if it was anything serious they didn't want Henry there to hear it first hand. Emma wasn't sure when she had been this worried as she drove them to the hospital. She kept looking at Regina who gave her a reassuring smile that was not very reassuring and not that big of a smile.

They had to wait nearly an hour to get in to see Doctor Whale who did a series of tests and had blood drawn from Regina. He noted a slightly elevated heartbeat and temperature, but neither was anything dangerous. Everything else seemed normal.

In the end, he sent them home, telling Regina to rest if she felt tired and once the results of her blood test were done he would call her.

"See the tests were normal," Regina said when they were in the car.

"The tests he could do now were normal," Emma said. "Now we have to wait for the others."

She began to drive, not saying anything else.

"I'm sorry," Regina said after a while. "I should have said something sooner."

"Yes you should have."

When Whale had been questioning her about her symptoms she had admitted that she had gotten a dizzy a few times since they had returned from the honeymoon. None of the dizzy spells had lasted very long but the fact Regina had kept that from her had made Emma upset. Emma was the one who told Whale about Regina transporting them and how she hadn't been the same since.

Whale had asked Regina point blank if her symptoms had anything to do with her expenditure of magic and Regina had told him that she didn't believe so. But she also couldn't discount the possibility which made Emma even more angry.

Emma drove Regina home first before going to pick up Henry. She told Regina to go lie down and she would be back with Henry in a little bit. Emma went to her parent's house and came inside instead of having Henry come out to her. As much as she wanted to check on Regina was still upset enough to not want to rush back. Henry and Snow had asked her how it went as soon as she entered. She explained that Whale hadn't found anything out of the ordinary but they would need to wait on the blood tests.

"Are you ok?" Snow asked her.

"She should have told me."

"I agree, but that is not what I asked."

Emma sighed. "What if something is wrong with her, like really wrong with her?"

"Then you will get through it as a couple."

"I'm just … scared. She has to be ok."

"Emma," Snow said. "All you can do now is be supportive of her, no matter what. You're going to have to wait until Dr. Whale gets back with you about whatever this is. You can't jump ahead and assume it's something bad. Take it one step at a time."

"That's easier said than done."

"I know, but the first step is going home and making sure she is ok."

Emma knew her mother was right and so she drove home after making one more quick stop. She and Henry entered the house and found Regina lying on the couch asleep. Henry went upstairs so as to not disturb her. Emma went into the kitchen and found a vase for the flowers she had bought Regina and arranged them so they would be the first thing Regina saw when she woke up.

Marriage day 208

Regina was at her office working when her cell phone rang. She looked down not recognizing the number. She answered it only to find it was the hospital. Her results were in and Doctor Whale had asked that she come in. Regina told them she would be there within the hour.

She hung up the phone feeling like this couldn't be a good thing if she was being asked to come in. She had actually felt better these last couple of days. There had been no dizziness, no nausea and she felt less tired. Regina hesitated before calling Emma, knowing her wife would want to be there. The conversation was quick as Emma told her she would meet her there and was leaving her office that very moment.

Regina gathered her purse and let her secretary know she had to leave for the day. Emma was already in the parking lot at the hospital waiting for her when she arrived. Emma gave her a hug and a kiss.

"Whatever it is, we will get through it," Emma said taking her hand. They walked in and had to wait 20 minutes before they were led back to Whale's office.

"Emma, Regina, please sit," he said and they took seats in front of this desk. "Sorry it's taken so long but the lab was backed up."

"That's ok," Regina said. "I take it the blood tests revealed something."

"It did," he said. "Um are you sure wouldn't be more comfortable having Emma wait outside?"

Regina looked at him strangely, "No, whatever you have to tell me you can say in front of my wife."

"Very well," he breathed in. "Regina, you are pregnant."

"What?" she said looking from him to Emma, who was sitting there with her mouth partly open in stunned silence. "There must be some sort of mistake."

"I thought so too, which is why I had the lab run it twice," he said. "You are most definitely pregnant."


	18. Chapter 18

Marriage day 208 (cont.)

Emma was pretty sure she heard Dr. Whale correctly the first time, but when he said it again – that Regina was pregnant – she felt like part of her brain short-circuited. She had been mentally preparing herself for Whale to give them some bad news about Regina's condition. She had prepared herself for that, not for this.

She stood up, feeling the need to move, and she began to pace, running her fingers through her hair. Regina was pregnant. Her wife was pregnant.

She didn't even notice that Regina had gotten out of her chair and was still debating the results with Whale, demanding that new blood be drawn because there was no way this could be true.

"You're pregnant," Emma said finally. "You're pregnant."

Regina turned and looked at her, "I can't be. I swear to you this is some sort of mistake. I would never cheat on you Emma. I wouldn't, I couldn't."

Emma's brain was still moving a little slow from shock so she didn't say anything at first as her mind processed what Regina apparently thought Emma was thinking.

"No," Emma blurted out. "I know you wouldn't cheat on me."

"See, that it why this is a mistake," Regina said locking eyes with Whale. "This is why we will run the test again with new blood. There must have a mix up in the lab or something."

"I don't think there was a mix up," Emma said, and Regina gave her a confused look.

"You just said you knew I didn't cheat on you,"

Emma saw the hurt in Regina's eyes and moved closer to her, needing to reassure her. "You didn't cheat on me, but I think you are pregnant. It would explain your sudden aversion to some smells and being tired, even nausea."

"It doesn't explain how I could possibly be pregnant. I may not be a doctor, but I know how that all works and there is no way I could …"

"Magic," Emma said. "It was magic. My magic to be specific I think."

"What do you mean?"

"That night on our honeymoon. You know the one where I used the strap on," Emma said trying to lower her voice, but she still saw Whale's eyebrows go up. "You said you felt my magic. I sort of brushed it off at the time, but the next morning I thought maybe I had used my magic but since nothing was out of the ordinary I forgot about it."

"That doesn't really explain anything."

Emma sighed and pulled Regina a little further away from Whale's desk. There are some things doctors didn't need to know.

"When I was … well fucking you I sort of thought about how much I loved you and how I wanted us to like grow old together and I thought it would be cool to raise another child with you and well I think maybe I did this," Emma said sheepishly while glancing down at Regina's stomach area.

"I need to sit down," Regina said taking back her seat.

"Is it possible?" Whale asked. "Could she have impregnated you from magic?"

Regina was silent for a moment more. "She had to have. If the test is correct, then it's the only explanation." She looked over at her wife who was now grinning like an idiot. "We're going to have to teach you to control that magic."

"We're going to have a baby!" Emma said.

…

They walked out to their cars after having a conversation with Dr. Whale that included Regina insisting on another blood test just to be sure. He agreed and they took another sample with Whale promising he would oversee it personally to make sure there were no mistakes. He told them that if the second test proved accurate they would need to start talking about vitamins and what Regina could and couldn't do during pregnancy and most of all, if this was a magical baby what that could mean.

Regina admitted she didn't know.

Whale said his concern was only that the birthing cycle remained normal even if the conception was not.

Emma was talking a mile a minute as they made their way through the parking lot to their respective vehicles until she noticed that Regina didn't appear to be sharing her enthusiasm or even listening to her.

"Hey, are you ok?"

"Yes, it's a lot to take in is all," Regina said giving her a small smile that was anything but reassuring to Emma. She knew her wife too well by now, but she also knew Regina sometimes needed to take a step back from things and think it through before she could express her true feelings. Emma decided this was one of those times that she needed to let Regina take that step back.

Emma gave her a smile in return, "It is a lot to take in and we have a lot to talk about, but maybe you are right, maybe we should wait for this next test to be sure of it and then move from there."

Regina gave her another smile, this one more grateful and sincere. "I think that would be for the best."

"Then we agree," Emma said giving her a kiss on the cheek and forcing herself not to touch Regina stomach – something she had wanted to do for like the last 20 minutes. "I need to head back to work. I will see you at home later."

They shared another kiss and then went to their cars. Regina started her car, but continued to sit in it after Emma left. She knew what the second test would reveal – she knew she was pregnant. As soon as Emma had explained what she was thinking when her magic went off, Regina knew that it was the truth. She was carrying Emma's baby.

She was glad Emma had let the conversation drop. She wasn't ready to talk about this, to even examine what it meant.

She simply wasn't ready.

Marriage day 211

Emma wasn't sure what to do. They had gotten the test results back confirming that Regina was indeed pregnant, yet Regina's reaction to it all remained the same. Emma had tried to broach the subject the day before when Regina told her the results, but Regina turned the conversation around on her – telling her they needed to set up a time each night for Emma to practice control over her magic.

The only Regina had to say about the pregnancy was that she didn't think they should tell anyone yet.

She didn't get the sense that Regina was angry with her over this, but at the same time Regina wasn't giving her enough of anything for her to know how Regina was feeling about it. Last night when they went to bed Emma and had done her customary spoon position. She had placed her palm on Regina's midsection and a moment later, Regina was readjusting her own position so she was lying on her left side facing Emma, which prevented Emma from touching her that way. It couldn't be a coincidence Emma figured.

She pretended like she was asleep the rest of the evening while Regina tossed and turned, never seeming to get comfortable until she laid back down on her right side. Emma didn't even bother trying to spoon with her at that point.

So here they were after dinner for Regina to teach her greater control over her magic.

"Your magic is tied to your emotions so you have to learn to control them better," Regina was saying. "If you don't it could result in unintentional bursts of magic."

"You mean accidental magic."

"That is one way to put it."

"Is that how you would put it?" Emma asked. "Is that an accident you are carrying?"

"No," Regina said. "It's a baby."

"Are you sure, because you don't seem very pleased with the idea,"

They were in Regina's study where Regina had been on her feet while talking to Emma about magic and controlling it. Emma was sitting on the settee. Regina sat down next to Emma but didn't make eye contact with her at first.

"I'm going to ask you to listen and try to understand," Regina said. "What I am talking about here with your magic is important."

"I don't want to talk about my magic," Emma said getting to her feet. "I want to talk about the fact that you are pregnant with my child and acting like … I don't even know what you are acting like just that you don't seem happy about it at all."

Regina got to her feet and approached Emma, taking her hand, "I am happy," she said. "It's still settling in, but don't think that I am not happy about this. It's just … your magic and my magic … no don't interrupt, listen to me. This baby was unintentional yes, but neither you nor I are going to love him or her less because of it. But if we are going to get to meet our son or daughter, we are going to have to be careful, very careful."

"What do you mean if?"

"You heard Whale, this is a magical baby and we have no idea what to expect, nor do we know if I will follow the normal structure of a pregnancy. There are too many unknowns. My body is going to go through changes due to this pregnancy and my hormones are going to be completely out of whack. That means at times my emotions are going to be out of control. Out of control emotions can lead to unintentional bursts of magic, which could be harmful even if that wasn't the intention. It's not that I am not happy; I am just struggling right now to keep my emotions in check. I don't want anything to happen to the baby. If something happened because I couldn't stay in control … I don't know what I would do."

"So all of this, the magic lessons, it's not about you being upset with me? This is about protecting the baby."

"Yes," Regina said. "I am not upset with you. If anything I am grateful you weren't thinking something like you wished I had bigger breasts."

The thought of course popped into Emma's mind at that moment and she wondered …

"Don't even think about it," Regina scolded.

"What? I wasn't … ok, I was thinking it but you put the image in my head. Damn, this is going to be harder than I thought it would be isn't it?"

"Hard yes but not impossible. Again, I am sorry for not seeming happy about the baby. I truly am," she said.

"But last night you moved when I touched your stomach."

Regina looked at her oddly like she wasn't sure what she was referring to. "Oh, I was sort of doing some research and they say lying on your left side during a pregnancy is better for blood flow. It's not the way I am used to sleeping so I thought I should start now."

"You did research without me?" Emma pouted.

"You've been pregnant before, this is new to me."

"So."

"Ok, no more research without you. But you have to take this seriously too."

"I will, I am," Emma said wrapping her arms around her. "I don't want anything to happen to our baby. But even with this whole controlling emotions thing, you have to tell me what is on our mind because I can't always tell when you go into shut down mode."

"I will try and be better about speaking up."

"Speaking of speaking up, when are we allowed to tell people?"

"The first person we tell is upstairs. Henry deserves to know first and I was thinking after the first doctor's appointment we could do that. Then of course your parents because Snow would never forgive me or you for that matter if someone like Ruby found out before she did I wouldn't want to be in your shoes."

Regina noticed Emma look away, "You told Ruby, didn't you?"

"Come on, I couldn't keep quiet any longer."

"Your mother is going to kill you and I am going to have to raise this child on my own. Thanks for that,"

"She won't kill me. I already told Ruby to be quiet about it."

Regina shook her head and sat back down. She was silent for a few breaths before looking up at Emma. "I don't know even know where to begin with all of this. We didn't plan for it, we never talked about it," she said. "You add in the fact that we created this child with magic, I … I'm scared."

Emma knelt in front of her, taking her hands. "Hey I know this is a lot of stuff at once, but we're going to be fine. We're a family, you, me, Henry and little dude inside there, and we will figure it all out. We've gotten this far together haven't we? Like you said, I've been pregnant so I know what to expect and I will be here all the way. I love you."

She moved and kissed Regina on the lips. "I love you," she repeated.

"I love you too, but if you ever refer to this child as little dude again I will divorce you and sue you for child support."

"What's wrong with little dude?"

"Apparently my threat didn't have an impression on you. Fine, call the child little dude again and I tell Snow you told Ruby first."

"You wouldn't."

"I would, now let's get back to our magic lesson."

Marriage day 218

Regina got home from work and started to make dinner. She was fixing steak for Emma and Henry, while she was going to have salad with grilled chicken. She was actually quite hungry as she had skipped lunch. Well, that wasn't entirely accurate. She had brought her lunch as usual – it was the other half of the salad she planned on having for dinner. But when it came time to eat it she felt nauseous and after a few bites she threw it away.

She knew Emma wouldn't be happy with her not eating, but ever since she had become pregnant her appetite seemed to be off. She had spoken to Dr. Whale about it, and he told it was normal that pregnant women sometimes had aversion to tastes or smells or had cravings. Emma had told her that when she was pregnant with Henry she would sometimes get cravings for cookies and cream ice cream – a luxury item in prison, but one of the guards would occasionally bring her some.

They had told Henry the day after she and Emma had talked more about what it all meant. If he found it strange they were having a baby, he didn't say. What he did say was that he wasn't changing diapers and he reserved the right of vetoing bad name choices. Overall, he was grinning just as much as Emma did and that in turn made Regina smile.

If there was ever proof that Henry was Emma's and her child, he proved it when he went from talking about introducing the child to his first book and video game to a discussion about child proofing the electrical outlets and lower kitchen/bathroom cabinets.

Telling Emma's parents was quite another matter. They decided to invite them over one night to sit them down and tell them. Regina had discussed it with Emma and Henry – emphasizing the need to be straight-forward with them about the fact she was pregnant and Emma was the other genetic parent due to magic. Privately she told Emma she better now share – or ever share – what they were doing when it happened. When Emma averted her eyes, Regina shook her head, "You told Ruby, didn't you?"

"Maybe."

Regina forbade her to tell anymore intimate details to Ruby ever.

Overall, she thought telling the Charmings went well, if you discounted the ear-splitting scream of excitement that Snow made before practically tackling Emma to the ground in a hug.

Regina just looked at Charming in that moment, and he sort of shrugged, "she gets a little excited sometimes."

"I can see that," she said.

The rest of the evening was fairly sedate after that although Regina had to endure a 45 minute lecture from Snow about her health and not getting stressed and taking her vitamins.

Now that Emma's parents knew, Regina knew it wouldn't be long before more people in town knew she was pregnant. Regina just reminded herself to stay calm throughout. She had been teaching Emma techniques each night so she could control her magic. She found her wife to be a frustrating student as her attention span for learning magic wasn't very long.

Tonight she planned on testing Emma's recall of what she learned so far.

Regina timed dinner well, and it was ready within 30 minutes of Emma arriving home. They were sitting at the kitchen table and Regina had eaten a couple of bites when she felt like she was going to throw up. She ended up pushing the plate aside.

"Aren't you hungry?" Henry asked.

"You need to eat," Emma said.

"I know, but my stomach feels like it's ready to reject anymore if I eat it."

"Is the nausea still that bad?"

"Yes," she said.

"You can't not eat. Here try some of my steak," Emma said pushing the plate toward her.

"You know I don't care much for steak," she said. In fact, Regina tended to avoid red meat – eating it only once in a great while. She usually stuck with chicken or pork if she did eat meat. Although she had to admit when she was cooking the steak it had smelt really good. She looked at the plate now and took the fork and knife from Emma and cut off a small bite placing it in her mouth. She chewed and swallowed, her hand immediately covering her mouth.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked worried.

Regina lowered her hand. "No I am not alright," she said. "That tasted wonderful."

Emma laughed despite the look of seriousness on Regina's face. In fact Regina was now eyeing the plate of food as if she wanted to cast away from her at the same time she wanted to devour it. Emma slid the plate fully in front of Regina.

"Kid, pass me the salad," Emma said and Henry picked up Regina's discarded food and put it in front of Emma who didn't really want salad but if her baby wanted steak she was willing to make the sacrifice.


End file.
